Home Care In Columbia, SC

A restaurant for chicken wings, burgers and more is eyeing a new location in a key Columbia retail district.

Chex Grill & Wings, which has restaurants across the Carolinas, is planning a new spot at 275 Park Terrace Drive in Columbia’s Harbison retail area. There are two large yellow banners hanging on the building there announcing that Chex Grill & Wings is “coming soon” and touting that the establishment will have 45 different flavors of wings.

The Chex restaurant would go into a space that formerly was home to Blaze Pizza, which closed its location on Park Terrace Drive — as well as its location in the Village at Sandhill in northeast Columbia — in September. The former Blaze spot at Sandhill has since been replaced by Rock N Pizza.

This would be the second Chex Grill & Wings location in Columbia. The company debuted a spot at 2800 Rosewood Drive in October.

There are 20 Chex Grill & Wings locations across South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee, per the store locator tool on the Chex website. They are particularly prevalent in the greater Charlotte area. Other S.C. locations include spots in Indian Land and Rock Hill, both along Interstate 77 heading toward Charlotte.

The menu at Chex includes a large variety of wing flavors, including masala, Cajun, garlic parmesan, and honey gold, among others. They also have Philly cheesesteaks, Buffalo chicken subs, salads, cheeseburgers, quesadillas and more.

A location at 275 Park Terrace Drive would put Chex in the thick of one of Columbia’s busiest retail areas. The Harbison district includes a host of big box stores, shops, restaurants, bars, hotels, movie theaters, the Columbiana Centre mall and more just west of Interstate 26. More than 100,000 cars per day travel down I-26 nearby, per state Department of Transportation stats.

A deep freeze is expected to envelop the Columbia area of South Carolina Sunday, and temperatures are forecast to drop into the teens, according to the National Weather Service.

Bitterly cold weather will cause temperatures to fall throughout Sunday and go below the freezing point at night with the arrival of arctic air, National Weather Service meteorologists said in a morning briefing. The breezy conditions — with winds between 10 and 20 mph, and gusts as powerful as 30 mph — will combine with the low temperatures to create dangerously cold conditions, according to the briefing.

A cold weather advisory was issued for all the Midlands, and will go into effect at 8 p.m., meteorologists said. The advisory is scheduled to run through 10 a.m. Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures will drop into the teens by Monday morning with wind chills in the single digits in some areas, according to the briefing. In Columbia, the temperature is predicted to reach a low of 18 degrees, the forecast shows. With the wind chill, temperatures in Columbia will feel closer to 12 degrees, according to the briefing.

Hypothermia or frostbite are possible with prolonged exposure to the cold weather effects, the National Weather Service said. Anyone without adequate shelter or clothing is at highest risk of injuries that are potentially fatal.

Additionally, the hard freeze poses a threat to vegetation.

The freezing conditions also present a threat to unprotected outdoor plumbing, according to meteorologists. To prevent water pipes that are not properly insulated from freezing then bursting, wrap or drain them, or allow them to drip slowly, the National Weather Service said.

Any pets also should be brought indoors, according to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division.

“Make frequent checks on older family, friends, and neighbors,” the National Weather Service said. “Ensure portable heaters are used correctly. Do not use generators or grills inside.”

The expected breezy conditions have prompted the National Weather Service to also issue a lake wind advisory. That will go into effect at 4 p.m. Sunday and run through 4 a.m. Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

Strong winds and rough waves on area lakes will create hazardous conditions and any boaters on the water should use extra caution as small craft face the risk of overturning, the National Weather Service said.

Conditions will begin to thaw Monday afternoon, but temperatures are predicted to drop below freezing again Monday night, according to the forecast. Lows in the mid 20s are possible in the Columbia area, the forecast shows.

When temperatures rise again Tuesday, they are expected to remain above freezing for the rest of the week, according to the forecast. From Wednesday through Friday, daytime temperatures are forecast to be in the 60s.

While the conditions will feel like winter weather Sunday and Monday, there is no chance of any snow in the Midlands region of South Carolina, according to the forecast. There’s no precipitation of any kind expected until later in the week, and by that time temperatures are forecast to be well above freezing.

COLUMBIA — A luxury hotel with a rooftop bar and art gallery could be coming to one of Main Street’s most unique office buildings.

Upscale hotel chain The Kessler Enterprise is offering the city $2.9 million for the seven-story, 94,000-square-foot office building at 1136 Washington St. known as Washington Square. City Council will take a first vote on the sale at the Dec. 16 council meeting.

Kessler operates 10 luxury hotels in Charleston, Greenville, Charlotte, Savannah and more. The brand also owns restaurants, spas and charter trip services.

“Founded by Richard Kessler in 1984, Kessler Collection® is a visionary hospitality brand that develops, owns and manages luxury boutique hotels, restaurants and retail,” the brand’s website reads. “We integrate experiences throughout hotel development, ownership and third-party management ventures, creating value for our owners and loyalty from our guests.”

The Columbia location would be a “luxury four-star hotel,” according to city documents.

The brand’s hotel chain, branded as “Grand Bohemian,” offers rooftop bars, high-end restaurants and retail, spas, and fine art or jewelry galleries. Those features are on the table for the new Columbia hotel, according to city documents.

The sale would also include the 457-space Washington Street parking garage and the garage’s ground-floor retail shops. Current tenants in the garage include Sky Bistro and Pub, a flower shop and a loan agency.

The terms of the sale agreement require construction to begin and be “diligently pursued” at the property on or before Dec. 31, 2028, and must be completed by Dec 31, 2031. Otherwise, the city will have the option to buy the property back for the selling price plus “hard costs” already invested by the buyer.

The city would also agree to help Kessler pursue incentives for the project, including local and federal historic building credits.

The Grand Bohemian Hotel Charleston opened as the brand’s first South Carolina hotel in 2015. Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville, part of the company’s more rustic brand, opened after a series of delays in 2022.

One night at the Charleston hotel can cost between $400 to $700, according to the hotel’s website. The Greenville location runs from $250 to $500 a night.

Washington Square is one of the properties the city put up for sale in October. City leaders have hoped to see the properties redeveloped to bring new economic activity into the city and bring the buildings back onto the property tax rolls.

The city had previously published renders of the building repurposed with a rooftop terrace when the properties were listed for sale.

“I think that could be either the coolest condo building or the coolest hotel right there with some retail on the bottom attached there on Main Street,” Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann previously told The Post and Courier ahead of the properties being listed.

The city did not list an asking price for either property, but they were valued at over $10 million and nearly $3 million according to county tax records.

It was not immediately clear how extensive any planned renovations to repurpose the building would be if the sale goes through. With its brown, pebbly exterior and asymmetrical windows, the building is one of the most unique in downtown Columbia.

Employees formerly working in those buildings are being relocated to the city’s office tower at 1401 Main St., which is currently being renovated.

The new hotel would be in the heart of the Main Street corridor, which has grown significantly in the past decade.

The Sheraton Hotel is across the intersection at 1400 Main St., and across Washington is the city’s new municipal complex and the future site of a 27-story apartment tower for college students and young professionals.

The city has long hoped to court more hotels in pursuit of hosting major events and NCAA tournament basketball games.

COLUMBIA, S.C. —

A drug trafficking investigation in South Carolina centered around THC products openly sold in stores has led to 12 arrests, according to the South Carolina Attorney General's office.

The operation, called “Ganjapreneur", ended with 40 narcotics charges for the defendants in Richland and Lexington counties.

The AG's office said the focus of this investigation was distributors and wholesalers of certain THC products, which, regardless of what their packaging says, test illegal under the law, are highly intoxicating, and packaged to appeal to children and teens.

“A stand needed to be made against stores openly selling illegal THC products, many of which are dangerously potent and clearly marketed to attract children and teens,” Attorney General Alan Wilson said.

“This is yet another example of the State Grand Jury bringing together partnerships across jurisdictions to do tough jobs that needed to be done,” State Grand Jury Chief Attorney Creighton Waters said. Both Attorney General Wilson and Waters thanked all the partner agencies for their hard work in the case.

On Dec. 9, 2025, law enforcement said it conducted a joint operation that executed search and seizure warrants on multiple locations and served arrest warrants on indicted individuals.

The operation resulted in the arrest of the 12 defendants, who are alleged to be the wholesale distributors of large amounts of these illegal products to various retail establishments. The operation resulted in the search of six warehouses, six homes, one retail business and two storage units.

Authorities said approximately eight large 26-foot box trucks of allegedly illegal products were seized at these locations, totaling over 30,000 pounds of product or 15 tons.

The seized products included marijuana, pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes, vapes, oils, dabs, syrups, and edibles, according to investigators.

Proceeds and assets of the illegal enterprises alleged in the indictments were seized as well, totaling approximately $2 million. Over 30 county and local agencies also conducted their own simultaneous operations throughout the State.

“These suppliers sought to peddle these products to anyone who would buy them. In turn, they were directly profiting off the backs of our children. It is unconscionable,” said SLED Chief Mark Keel. “Today, I want to make it clear: law enforcement in South Carolina stands united in our effort to rid our state of these dangerous, illicit products.”

The Attorney General's Office said the following were charged:

Shazan GhaniZeeshan GhaniZanira SafriRizwan RashyaniBhavik PatelFadi Muneer ZuhourMohamed A. IsaMuhammad Usman ButtAhad ShafiqAsim Pervaiz

For mugshots of some of those arrested and images of the seized products, click here.

A spokesperson for the SC Healthy Alternatives Association sent the following statement about these arrests:

"Today’s press conference with Attorney General Alan Wilson and SLED Chief Mark Keel underscores what South Carolina hemp growers and industry stakeholders have been saying for years: our industry needs to be clearly regulated.

"This week, multiple law-abiding business owners across South Carolina were arrested and hit with unreasonable drug trafficking charges when their businesses were swarmed by law enforcement officers and their legal products and hard-earned dollars were seized. Nothing in South Carolina’s state statutes bans or regulates the sale of hemp or hemp-derived products.

"Rather than expose South Carolinians to more unnecessary law enforcement action, we call on policymakers to step up and do what we’ve been asking for years – regulate the hemp industry in South Carolina, so everyone understands the rules of the game."

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The Richland County Sheriff’s Department is investigating after a Friday night shooting left one person dead and another hurt.

Deputies said they were dispatched Friday around 9:30 p.m. to the 7500 block of Hunt Club Road after reports of a shooting. After arriving, deputies said they located a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound to his midsection. RCSD said deputies provided medical aid to the victim until EMS arrived and transported the victim to a local hospital.

While circulating the immediate area for additional evidence, deputies found two guns: one inside the residence and another outside on the ground.

According to investigators, after arriving at the hospital, another shooting victim was being transported to the same hospital. Investigators learned the second victim, also a male, had a gunshot wound to the upper body and was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Investigators said they were able to conclude that both gunshot wound victims were related to the same incident.

RCSD says this is an active and ongoing investigation.

The department asks if anyone has information about the incident to call RCSD at 803-576-3000 or submit a tip through CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIMESC.

This is a developing story. Check back here for more updates as we learn more.

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