Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCOLUMBIA (WIS) - The Columbia Police Department announced they are investigating the suspicious death of a woman #ColumbiaPDSC officers are investigating the suspicious death of a female at a house in the 2700 block of Cypress St Crime scene investigators have processed the location for evidence Investigators have learned that the female doesn’t reside in Columbia or attend school here.… Police said the woman was found at a home in the 2700 block of Cypress Street the woman does not live or go to school in Columbia Coroner’s Office is assisting with the case Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our email newsletter, and download our apps. Have feedback that can help us improve? Click here #ColumbiaPDSC officers are investigating the suspicious death of a female at a house in the 2700 block of Cypress St EVANS, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The funeral for a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office deputy who was killed in a shooting April 26 on Interstate 20 is set for Monday afternoon According to Deputy Brandon Sikes’ obituary his funeral will be held on Monday at noon at the Columbia County Performing Arts Center following a procession from the funeral home News 12 will stream the full procession and service here on WRDW.com The procession will close Washington Road between Davis Road and Ronald Reagan Drive from 11 a.m according to Thomas Poteet and Son Funeral Directors The procession will begin at Poteet Funeral Home The procession will depart from the funeral home at 11:20 a.m. The procession will end at the Columbia County Performing Arts Center The sheriff’s office says community members are welcome to line the route for respects “We thank the public for their continued support and ask for patience and understanding regarding temporary traffic delays during the procession,” said the sheriff’s office Sikes had been a Columbia County deputy since Nov. 21, 2018 according to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council Sheriff Clay Whittle said Sikes worked on the crime suppression unit and leaves behind a widow Sikes’ obituary says before his law enforcement career Sikes served as a United States Army combat medic “Deputy Sikes embodied the very best of community service and personal sacrifice his impact on those around him will be felt for generations His memory will live on — in the community he made safer and in the family and friends who will forever be proud of the man he was,” said his obituary Sikes was killed in the line of duty when deputies pulled over James Blake Montgomery to serve him with a temporary protective order he seemed compliant when the deputies served the order Deputy Gavin White was also injured in the shooting A suspect in an April shooting incident was arrested following a recent shots-fired report in Columbia The Columbia Police Department (CPD) arrested Joshua Abrams after gunshots were reported in the 4700 block of Clark Lane on May 1 A press release noted that Abrams was also a suspect in connection with an April 13 shooting in the 900 block of East Broadway that left two people injured with gunshot wounds police responded to the Clark Lane area and discovered multiple shell casings but noted that no property or people were hit The man was arrested and charged with First-Degree Assault Armed Criminal Action and Unlawful Use of a Weapon for the Broadway shooting and Unlawful Use of a Weapon in connection with the Clark Lane incident Abrams was booked into the Boone County Jail with no bond CPD noted that the investigation is ongoing In March, restaurateur Desmond Reilly closed Chicken + Whiskey at the Mall in Columbia but promised that his two other county eateries wouldn’t be going anywhere both permanently shut their doors at 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway It felt like a long time coming for Reilly who claims that both the mall and Howard County leaders’ failure to address a rise in crime ultimately forced his hand an assertion mall management and county officials vehemently dispute and crime statistics don’t necessarily back up The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one. “Now that I’m completely gone from Columbia I can be honest… The Mall in Columbia has become a different world,” said Reilly “It wasn’t the world we signed up for or a world we could make money in.” who is managing principal of the Washington says the shopping center changed “dramatically” in the last few years he noticed more fights between young people in front of Bennie’s People were afraid to go to the mall’s restaurants at his Walrus Oyster & Ale House business fell that year by 25% The decline allegedly continued into 2024 by another 20% Reilly said the number of customers served at the Walrus had fallen by a cumulative 60% where 17-year-old Angelo Little was fatally shot Reilly remembers the shooting well but claims the mall did little to encourage fearful customers into coming back to the area “It became clear that people in Howard County don’t feel safe at the mall,” he said adding that he was discouraged by the mall’s lack of effort to relay that it was safe to return to restaurants a spokeswoman for Brooksfield Property Management said it was unfortunate and misleading to blame crime and the mall’s inaction for the closures especially after several months of negotiations between the groups were spent to determine a path forward for the restaurants “We have always maintained a robust and comprehensive security program that is visible to the public and behind the scenes,” Kahn said director of communications for Howard County Government said their team was working with several businesses to address safety concerns but did not have any record of Reilly lodging a complaint Hira added that a full-time, permanent unit of officers was recently stationed in an area that included the Merriweather District the Columbia Lakefront and the Mall in Columbia A satellite office will be coming to the mall in the coming months and an additional beat was set up for a 24-hour patrol no reports of gun crimes or shooting incidents have been reported in the area Reilly says his businesses suffered more than most from people’s fear of crime at the Mall in Columbia because unlike the Cheesecake Factory or other franchises he and his two other partners had to independently foot the bill for losses month to month It was what the mall initially liked about SRG Concepts he said: They recruited him to the mall because the group promised new innovative concepts run by a local company instead of a national chain “We thought it was flattering to be the little guy,” he said Reilly’s concepts appeared to flourish outside of Columbia including a Walrus branch in the National Harbor and a Chicken + Whiskey on 14th Street Northwest in D.C And while crime has also been an issue around Chicken + Whiskey’s D.C location Reilly says audiences there aren’t deterred by it in the same way there’s an acceptable tolerance people have [for crime],” he said It’s very different in the suburbs that claim safety.” Reilly said he messaged Brookfield Properties for more information and wanted to see more action taken to signal crime was being taken seriously But responses were limited and centered around status updates on the police investigation “Our landlord and local leaders wanted to sweep it all under the carpet,” he said Reilly declined to show The Banner these messages and said that despite his concerns he did not reach out to county leadership about addressing crime because he wanted to keep politics away from his eateries Two other business owners at the Mall in Columbia who declined to be named for fear of upsetting their landlord which was added to address adolescent violence cut off some of his customers from coming in the evening He said his restaurant would not be renewing their lease with the development Chad Gauss, who owns The Food Market in Columbia and Vacation said though he has seen a small dip in diners he attributed it to the “additional 500-plus seats being added to the Merriweather District He added that “there have been individual issues in Columbia Mall from time to time but we find it to be extremely safe in the area,” calling it a “fun But concerns over adolescent crime are not new a mass shooting in the mall wreaked havoc on customers’ perceptions of safety Reilly admitted he doesn’t see Columbia as an isolated case but a symptom of a larger “American problem.” While Bennie’s was not around long enough to evaluate whether crime brought about its downfall he remains confident that crime is to blame for the Walrus closure despite the restaurant enduring other struggles during its tenure Reilly said he’ll be spending the coming months searching for jobs for the 81 people who were laid off from his restaurants in the last two months He remains skeptical of the actions taken to address crime calling heavy police “in the suburban world” more of a deterrent to customers than crime But he’s not leaving the mall with any regrets Reilly feels it’s only right for him to share the concerns he says are held by many in the business community “My wife and kids eat in the food court where a boy was murdered in the bathroom,” he said “Does someone need more understanding than that?” Matti Gellman matti.gellman@thebaltimorebanner.com Matti Gellman is a Food Reporter for The Baltimore Banner Welcome to The Banner's subscriber-only commenting community. Please review our community guidelines Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policies The Baltimore Banner is a trademark registered in the U.S for The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism Statement from Executive Vice President and General Manager Eric DeCosta pic.twitter.com/TNQrqw3me2 Welcome to The Banner's subscriber-only commenting community. Please review our community guidelines Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policies Click here to view our Terms of Sale.\n \n Click here to learn more about supporting local journalism.\n Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes. If the problem persists, please contact customer service at 443-843-0043 or customercare@thebaltimorebanner.com. Then I Got to Columbia.Smolny College is a warning Illustration by The Atlantic. Sources: Artem Priakhin / SOPA Images / Getty; Yuki Iwamura / Getty; DNY59 / Getty; hapabapa / Getty; David Tran / Getty.May 2, 2025 ShareSave Listen-1.0x+0:009:15Produced by ElevenLabs and News Over Audio (Noa) using AI narration When my university, Columbia, recently capitulated to President Donald Trump’s $400 million ultimatum Before coming to Columbia as a grad student The Smolny I knew was one of Russia’s few independent colleges; students and faculty had extraordinary autonomy which they often used to challenge the government Smolny’s story offers a warning that Columbia must heed while it still has the chance: When autocrats realize they can manipulate a school they won’t stop until they have total control A few years after the Soviet Union collapsed Professors at SPSU—one of Russia’s most prestigious universities—had proposed partnering with Bard so he went to speak with the faculty about what he thought Russia and the West could learn from each other he left an impression: Professors quoted him to one another long after he left Garry Kasparov: How America can avoid becoming Russia SPSU joined with Bard to create a liberal-arts program that grew into Smolny George Soros’s newly established Open Society Foundations funded the initiative Smolny matured into a true liberal-arts college offering a dual SPSU–Bard degree and majors including literature and hosted much broader political debate than could be found on most Russian campuses SPSU sent Dubrovsky a renewal contract that he said didn’t reflect the provisions he’d agreed to The school fired him for refusing to sign.) Kudrin announced that Smolny would separate from SPSU “Our education model differs from the one used at SPSU,” he said at the time a pro-Kremlin group persuaded the Russian state prosecutor’s office to investigate Smolny’s ties to Soros whose NGOs had been outlawed in the country The group alleged that Soros and Bard were using Smolny to turn Russia’s youth into a “protest electorate” with a “pro-Western” and “hostile ideology towards their own country.” SPSU cooperated with the prosecutors who determined that Bard posed a “threat to the foundations of the constitutional order and security of the Russian Federation.” Instead of separating from SPSU losing out on funding as well as the schools’ student-faculty exchange Graduates began receiving standard SPSU diplomas rather than dual degrees was baffled by the response among her professors (She requested that we use only her first name to speak candidly about them.) “We need to prove that Smolny is independent and distinct from Bard—that it is authentically Russian,” Julia recalls her teachers saying Over the next year, Smolny purged dozens of professors, including one who was fired for joining an anti-war protest. Meanwhile, SPSU conducted a review of Smolny’s curriculum, finding that its classes were “highly ideological” and representative of “the worst Western stereotypes.” Kudrin stepped down voluntarily administrators aligned with SPSU took his place They would undertake “just a few corrections to the curricula,” one of them wrote on social media Smolny swapped out discussion-based seminars for lectures and cut the number of electives from 129 to 10 The administration also reduced the school’s 12 majors to seven and gave them new names such as “Literature in the Context of Culture,” “Economics of Culture,” and “Music in the Context of Culture.” (“Culture in the context of culture” became a sneering refrain on campus.) Sensing that the changes posed an existential threat to the school Two were expelled after an academic committee decided to fail them Today, the Smolny I knew survives only in fragments. The school has maintained its size but now attracts only half the applicants it once did. With help from Bard, a group of former professors founded Smolny Beyond Borders, an initiative that offers online classes outside the reach of SPSU administrators and Kremlin bureaucrats An alum recently told me that in order to teach an uncensored seminar talk about the pro-Palestine protests roiling Columbia’s campus I would stand beside the protesting students now,” Kostyuchenko said at a conference one week after police began arresting demonstrators But because I know what happens when you don’t defend another’s opinion you yourself won’t be allowed to speak out.” Garry Kasparov: The Putinization of America empowering campus-security officers to arrest students and African Studies Department under review—all in hopes of getting the $400 million back It didn’t work; the money is still gone. And now the White House is reportedly planning to pursue a consent decree which could effectively allow Trump to enforce his demands via the courts Even though Columbia remains more insulated from state power than Smolny the concerns I hear from my peers in America have begun to sound a lot like what I heard from my peers in Russia Kostyuchenko’s warning that authoritarian forces could sway Columbia seemed far-fetched Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Box Score - The Carolina Mudcats jumped out to a 5-0 lead and did not look back as they downed the Columbia Fireflies 5-2 on Sunday evening at Segra Park Carolina (15-6) jumped out to an early lead in the second inning when Luiyin Alastre put the Mudcats in front with a two-run home run to right The Mudcats added to their lead with three runs in the third on a wild pitch RBI groundout and a Josh Adamczewski sacrifice fly to push the lead to 5-0 Columbia (13-8) responded with a run in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly from Brennon McNair to cut the deficit to 5-1 That would be all the scoring against Carolina starting pitcher John Holobetz (W 3-0) who worked 5.1 innings allowing only one run and two hits while striking out five and not issuing a walk The Fireflies mounted a rally in the ninth as McNair collected a one-out double down the left field line and scored when Jorge Hernandez singled to make it 5-2 that was as close as Columbia would get as the Mudcats held on for the victory Carolina returns to Five County Stadium on Tuesday night with first pitch set for at 6:00 P.M as they open a six-game series with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans CFD is looking for an additional $155,000 to add new positions in lacking areas COLUMBIA — The Columbia City Council approved the Columbia Fire Department's request to add positions within the department at Monday's meeting The ordinance amended the fiscal year 2025 budget to add two fire battalion chiefs The two fire battalion chief positions will bring in more leadership to the department and prepare it for high risk events and work on the paramedic program The battalion chief of emergency medical services will be in charge of coordinating and leading the paramedic program This chief will "oversee the course delivery and coordinate testing and certification with the state of Missouri," according to the council agenda The battalion chief of special operations will oversee the department's needs in response to hazardous materials the chief will also serve as the department's liaison with emergency operations management centers locally and statewide "Right now we don't have any leadership in those areas," fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said "We have been needing to grow as a department and now we actually (have) the door opened a little."  The new positions are expected to increase expenses in fiscal year 2025 by $155,000 Have the latest local news delivered every morning to start your day informed "(The city of Columbia is) allocating funding that we have currently in the city system into these positions to give us the ability to carry out those rescues and that preparedness level that we want as the city of Columbia," Schaeffer said Schaeffer has seen a heightened need for positions like these to be created within the department "Unfortunately, the last couple of events have really highlighted the risk," Schaeffer said. "We had a line-of-duty death last year during high rainfall the department will prepare for the creation of the new positions by identifying areas to grow before implementation "We are trying right now to figure out where to put these two new positions," Schaeffer said but we will have that in place within the next two months."  Schaeffer also said the department is working on projects for the future of the Columbia Fire Department and has big plans for growth To report an error or typo, email news@komu.com Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: It's "light enough to wear during the early spring chill." 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By Jon Winkler is a commerce writer for TheStreet covering deals on everything from Coach bags to Apple earbuds He's been covering deals and sales for four years previously writing for a division of USA Today.  Thanks for visiting The Columbia City Council has a stacked agenda when it meets Monday night the council will receive a report and hold discussion on the water cost-of-service study during a work session Work session meeting materials were not yet available when agendas were posted Friday A news release from Columbia Water and Light did note "the cost of service study evaluated how much revenue the water utility will need to cover expenses while balancing impacts on customers "Studies such as these are generally conducted every five years to accommodate any changes to expenses This study will project costs and necessary revenue for the next 10 years." Columbia could get a Hyatt Place Hotel with lodging wings and centrally attached conference center across U.S Highway 63 from Menards and Bass Pro Shop if a rezoning from agricultural to planned district is approved by 2/3 of the council The Centerstate East Subdivision has nine lots where two of them could serve as the two hotels and attached conference center Three other lots could have future development A staff report notes that the hotel and conference centers could have max heights of 85 feet based on Planning and Zoning Commission and staff discussion One lot will serve as the access drive to the property from off the roundabout on Vandiver Drive The remaining lots could serve as stormwater management and tree preservations areas The planning and zoning had a tie vote on a motion to provide an approval recommendation for the council which is considered a denial recommendation in the end This is part of the reason why at least five of the council's seven members have to give the OK to the rezoning A public hearing toward the beginning of Monday's meeting will determine if renovations to the Waters House at the Waters-Moss Memorial Wildlife Area are authorized to provide an expansion of recreational programming and facility rental spaces The house is located at 1907 Hillcrest Drive and proposed changes include a new concrete patio adding a hand rail and tables; removing a garage door and adding ventilation and fire suppression for a ceramics kiln adjacent to an art classroom; providing Americans with Disabilities Act access to the art classroom along with the addition of an entry door and deck and removal of a closet in the art classroom; renovating the ranger office into rental storage; removing a centrally located restroom to become Columbia Parks and Recreation storage with a washer and dryer; removing the fireplace and installing a beam to combine spaces; closing off one entry door; and renovating a wall and door to become sliding doors for a meeting space The project budget is $250,000 using funds from the 2021 parks sales tax While the city council still will have oversight and approval of any changes to the city's mission a staff memo notes the other functions are largely administrative The new policy resolution does include some modifications to the city's five strategic priority area goal statements when compared to the 2021 strategic plan document A report from Columbia Parks and Recreation is recommending a reengagement of public input meetings regarding Douglass Park basketball court improvements Parks and recreation recommends holding public input meetings 6-8 p.m May 27 at the Activity and Recreation Center May 28 in conference rooms 1A/1B at Columbia City Hall to noon May 31 in Columbia City Hall conference rooms 1A/1B Douglass Park improvements, originally approved by the council in November 2023 The plan for the basketball courts including naming the courts after University of Missouri Women's Basketball Coach Willie Cox and Mizzou Tigers Theming When Parks and Recreation announced in February that work was due to move ahead on this design it prompted objections from the community and suggestions of naming a court or courts after individuals who had a greater impact on the surrounding community This led to Parks and Recreation pulling back on basketball court improvements until it could consult with the city’s engagement coordinator leading to the proposed series of public input meetings Thanks for visiting Here are some of our most read articles that might interest you PRINCETON, N.J. —  Columbia Baseball first-year Anthony Temesvary has been named the Ivy League Rookie of the Week following a big weekend that helped propel the Lions to a road sweep of Harvard and secure a share of their second consecutive Ivy League Championship Temesvary delivered in the clutch throughout the weekend batting .375 (3-for-8) with a home run and five RBI across the three-game series driving in three runs and launching a go-ahead homer in the fourth inning that gave Columbia a lead it would not relinquish He capped off the series with two more RBI in the title-clinching finale and made a critical defensive play by throwing out a would-be base stealer Junior outfielder Cole Fellows and senior left-handed pitcher Jagger Edwards earned spots on the Weekly Honor Roll after their contributions to the Harvard sweep Thanks for visiting 2025 at 11:08 AM EDT|Updated: 15 hours agoEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCOLUMBIA (WIS) - One lucky Powerball ticket turned into a big winner in the Midlands The South Carolina Education Lottery said a was sold at Simba Express #1 on Alpine Road won $50,000 after adding a Double Play The lottery added the Double Play matched four of the first five ball numbers drawn on Saturday and the red Powerball number The numbers from Saturday’s drawing were: 14 - 23 - 33 - 38 - 60 and a Powerball of 3 The Powerball jackpot for Monday’s drawing is set at $54 million Click here for more information on Powerball in South Carolina Eric Santomauro-Stenzel & Cate Zanardi May 5 Right near the 116th Street and Broadway gate to Columbia University is Pulitzer Hall Through months of protests and administrative upheaval at the university the polished halls and studios of the building remain largely unchanged with many student journalists working until late sitting in empty classrooms or killing time in communal spaces A lone Public Safety officer appeared around 10 p.m. knocking on classroom doors and telling students to pack up and leave He explained to students the building was closing “We got this from the head of public safety,” he told students Columbia University has undergone epochal changes The building closure came on April 28, almost exactly a year after the April 30, 2024, occupation of Hamilton Hall in solidarity with Palestine A security staff member later told The Indypendent the closure policy was in effect for a series of buildings on Morningside campus until graduation The officer on shift explained: “They just don’t want anyone hanging out in the buildings after hours A building hours schedule the first guard shared with some students says Pultizer closes at 8 p.m Many of the Journalism School’s classes end at 9 p.m security has not ordered students out of Pulitzer since University spokespeople did not respond to requests for comment The policy adds to the list of ways that Columbia has policed space amid pro-Palestine protests on campus since 2023 It comes as a part of a broader series of actions that consolidates and centralizes control over the campus and its community within the top rungs of university administration and the board of trustees Both law enforcement and university disciplinary action has caused a chilling effect on speech across campus Over the past two months, Columbia University has undergone epochal changes. On March 8, Palestinian student protester Mahmoud Khalil was arrested and detained without a warrant by plainclothes Department of Homeland Security officers. The Trump administration announced a $400 million cut to Columbia’s federal funding on March 7. The week after, the administration demanded that Columbia make changes to the university’s governance In an April 18 email to Columbia affiliates Acting President Claire Shipman announced a summer “review” of the university senate the only university-wide elected body of students and faculty who spent the bulk of her career in journalism and just a few months ago was co-chair of the university’s board of trustees “the Senate was not built to function efficiently and effectively in intensely challenging moments like this.” Acting President Shipman took over after the resignation of Interim President Katrina Armstrong in March shortly after Columbia agreed to many of the federal government’s demands. The university’s board of trustees, which appoints the president, is self-selecting and, until recently, its bylaws were not publicly accessible On March 31, members of the university senate released the 335-page Sundial Report on the school’s actions from October 2023 to December 2024 pertaining to harms to academic freedom The report says the “university has conducted itself in unprecedented ways” that “render the institution more fragile and jeopardize the institution and its mission.” days after the announcement of the senate review a university senate town hall consisting of hundreds of Columbia affiliates was attended by two trustees — a rare occurrence A faculty member asked what the “rush” was to change the senate who graduated from and has served on alumni boards for the Columbia Journalism School moved toward the exit without addressing the question followed Goggin and reiterated the question to no answer A Columbia security officer touched and physically blocked Santomauro-Stenzel from following Goggin further down a hallway otherwise accessible to students and many community members question who is really in charge Governance concerns arose again at a May 2 plenary of the university senate. Senator and classics professor Joseph Howley asked Acting President Shipman about an article in The Observer claiming members of the board of trustees advised the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress on how to make demands of the university After Shipman left the meeting, the chair of the senate’s Executive Committee, who led the Sundial Report, Professor Jeanine D’Armiento, read a statement calling federal pressure a “convenient excuse” for university trustees to disempower shared governance in an “ostensibly temporary role,” is enacting “sweeping” changes to University governance disregarding and “unilaterally rewriting” the school’s statutes “The Board of Trustees and their Acting President aim to consolidate power and silence dissenting voices.” Columbia’s policies around public space since the encampments of last year have tightened metal fences often block the Low Library steps and surround Alma Mater a statue in front of the central administration building Columbia took to gating off many of its gates with barricades after student protesters chained themselves to campus gates multiple times over the last month and a half, demanding the University to reveal the names of the trustees who allegedly assisted in the disappearance of Mahmoud Khalil, as reported in March by The Forward.  “It’s never clear whether we’re hearing from the [university] president or from the board,” said Professor Howley Higher Ed Unions Rally in Foley Square, Vow to ‘Meet the Moment’ Sam Alcoff Apr 18 in the face of Trump’s attacks on universities Gaza Encampments Documentary Delivers a Clear Message: The Kids Are Alright Sam Alcoff Mar 26 The Encampments quickly reframes the pro-Israel establishment’s tired critiques of uneducated fools and outside agitators ‘He’s Not Going to Be Disappeared in Silence’ Tanya Raghu Mar 11 Over one thousand protesters turned out for an emergency rally for Mahmoud Khalil ‘People Are Speaking in Whispers’ Amba Guerguerian Feb 4 faculty purges and an all-encompassing surveillance state have become the norm as Columbia falls silent after last spring’s anti-genocide protests (WRDW/WAGT) - Slain Columbia County Deputy Brandon Sikes was remembered Monday as one of the brave men standing between good and evil but someone who shied away from the spotlight in his heroism Potentially thousands of law enforcement officers and dignitaries from across the state came to a funeral service at the Columbia County Performing Arts Center for the lawman who was shot dead April 26 A procession for Sikes began around 11:20 a.m at the funeral home and ended around 12:40 p.m Community members lined the route on Washington Road waving American flags as the procession passed Whether they were directly or indirectly impacted by Deputy Brandon Sikes’ death community members lifted up their local law enforcement officers The motorcade was led off by dozens of law enforcement motorcycles ambulances and patrol vehicles from a range of agencies near and far No place along the route had more people than the roadway leading up to the performing arts center Countless law enforcement officers were there to pay their respects flags hung from towering aerial firetrucks to welcome the procession Sikes’ remains arrived at the funeral site in a horse-drawn hearse as bagpipers played somber music The flag-draped casket was carried into the performing arts center where it was placed on a dark stage with two officers flanking it as soft piano music played They were eventually joined by three other officers where he noted the pain the community is feeling and said he hoped to bring a message of hope He thanked law enforcement officers for their efforts to protect the community and offered a prayer Mourners next heard a song selected by Sikes’ family Also speaking was Columbia County Sheriff Clay Whittle who emotionally remembered Sikes and noted his distinguished military career before he became a deputy “The overriding goal for Brandon was to serve people and to help people,” Whittle said He read a reflection from one of his staff members who noted that officers know each day they could be killed and it’s not expected but should be in today’s society and it’s the only job where there are unknown risks every day when every decision is “Monday morning quarterbacked to death.” Whittle told future officers he hopes they go home safe every night and never have to live through something like this “Somebody’s got to step in that gap and stand between us and evil,” Whittle said “Deputy Brandon Sikes was one of those heroes.” Also speaking was Sikes’ brother Thomas DeChant “He was such a happy baby and loved to play and laugh,” DeChant said of Sikes DeChant recalled meeting his brother’s future wife DeChant said he knew Amber was someone special because she was the first woman Sikes brought home to meet his family They got married at the rock quarry at Euchee Creek in a ceremony that consisted of five people After working at Costco and then deciding to make a change in his life to better support Amber and their daughter Sikes decided to join the Army and become a combat medic “Because I get to help people who can’t help themselves,” DeChant recalled him saying he found his true calling in 2018 as a Columbia County deputy ‘What better way to protect my wife and daughter than to make the area around them safer?’” DeChant said And he was very excited to join the crime suppression unit That’s because “I get to take bad people off the street and make the county safer,” DeChant remembered him saying PHOTO GALLERY: HONORING SLAIN DEPUTY BRANDON SIKES “It was never about the spotlight or notoriety for him,” DeChant said “It was always about moving in silence and making a difference to protect his family.” DeChant was followed by a video tribute featuring photos from throughout Sikes’ life Kenney returned to the stage to tell mourners God doesn’t run from the pain the community feels but runs toward it He said God cares – and someone else who cared for others was Sikes and he was willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice for their well-being,” he said “he didn’t do it for himself; he did it for us,” Kenney said “He put this community – all of us – ahead of himself,” Kenney said He asked people to care for Sikes’ family with actions and to care for law enforcement in the future He called on the community to be known as “Columbia County where a military salute was held in honor of his Army service The salute included the traditional three volleys of seven gunshots His final call was issued over the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office radio frequency Then there was an emotional aircraft flyover in his memory That was to be followed by a private family burial The funeral service drew law enforcement officers from across the region and the state the Georgia Department of Natural Resources the Georgia State Patrol and the Warner Robins Police Department Also attending the funeral was Deputy Gavin White who was injured by the shooter who killed Sikes but is making a remarkably speedy recovery The community has been mourning Sikes for more than a week, remembering him not only for his bravery but also for his friendliness, including when he worked as a deputy at Augusta Prep Blue flags have popped up across the CSRA in honor of him along with an impromptu memorial along Interstate 20 near Belair Road where he was killed by an RV driver deputies had stopped to serve with a temporary protective order was building pipe bombs and converting guns to full automatic operation Montgomery used one of those guns to kill Sikes other explosives paraphernalia and ammunition Memorial contributions in Sikes’ honor can be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation at https://dogood.t2t.org/campaign/in-memory-of-deputy-brandon-r-sikes/c686170 An official website of the United States government JavaScript appears to be disabled on this computer. Please click here to see any active alerts Cold water refuges are areas that are colder than the main river temperature Adult salmon and steelhead temporarily use these refuges to escape warm summer river temperatures and help them successfully migrate up the Columbia River to their spawning grounds These areas serve an increasingly important role to some salmon and steelhead species because the lower Columbia River has warmed over the past 50 years and will likely continue to warm in the future Protecting and restoring cold water refuges is important for the survival of migrating salmon and the recovery of salmon populations EPA's Columbia River Cold Water Refuges Plan focuses on the lower 325 miles of the Columbia River from the Snake River to the ocean (see map) The plan is a scientific document with recommendations to protect and restore cold water refuges including valuable input from contributing parties on an October 2019 draft version For questions or more information, please contact Jenny Wu (wu.jennifer@epa.gov) (WOLO)– A lucky winner only has a couple days to claim their winning Mega Millions ticket The winning ticket that was sold in West Columbia If you purchased a Mega Millions ticket from the Circle K at 4048 Charleston Hwy in West Columbia in November drawing and matched four white ball numbers and the gold Megaball number to win $10,000 The ticket must be claimed no later than Wednesday the envelope must be postmarked by that date the $10,000 winnings will be deposited in the Education Lottery Account to support educational programs in South Carolina For complete information on claiming prizes, visit sceducationlottery.com (WOLO)– Columbia lottery players check your tickets Lottery officials say a player who added Double Play to their Powerball ticket won $50,000 in Saturday night’s Powerball The ticket was sold at the Simba Express #1 Alpine Road in Columbia and won big in the May 3 Double Play drawing (14 – 23 – 33 – 38 – 60 and PB: 3) held after the regular Powerball drawing Double Play drawings are held after the Powerball drawings on Mondays Wednesdays and Saturdays and can be watched online at Powerball.com The Powerball jackpot for Monday’s drawing is $54 million News Officers salute the casket of CCSO Deputy Brandon Sikes Hundreds of law enforcement officers joined family and friends to pay final respects Monday to Columbia County Deputy Brandon R. Sikes, who was killed in the line of duty April 26 Columbia County Sheriff Clay Whittle spoke at the service of the brave sacrifices law enforcement officers make every day as they face unknown threats a badge and a gun and head out the door of their homes was gunned down during a traffic stop on I-20 where he and Deputy Gavin White were serving a protective order on a mentally-ill man who had pipe bombs in his motor home reading from another officer’s memorial post said the sheriff’s office will be there to support Sikes’ widow who also works for the sheriff’s office.  In addition to facing unforeseen dangers every day officers also face constant scrutiny of the public No officer starts a day wanting to draw his gun Instead they face the unthinkable – a dead abused child MORE: Photostory: Honoring Deputy Brandon Sikes they “still come to work with a smile on your face ready to give your life for an innocent,” Whittle said Pastor John Kenney of Quest Church asked all those in law enforcement to stand “I just feel like the law enforcement community right now needs to know we love you; we support you,” he said but very humble man who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect this community to make this community safer,” he said “why” does something like Sikes’ death have to occur spoke about him being the youngest and his desire to help and protect others When Sikes learned he was going to be a father Test scores qualified him for nearly any position “I get to help people who can’t help themselves,” his brother said He also “knew that Amber and Lyndsey would be taken care of.” MORE: Local businesses helping in the wake of loss, injury of deputies When Sikes joined the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office in 2018 “What better way to protect my wife and daughter than to make the area around them safer?” DeChant said Mourners were shown a video containing dozens of pictures showing Sikes from his childhood to his time in the Army to scenes of him in nature Family members seated across the theater’s front row “I am not okay,” by Jelly Roll to play at the service Uniforms filled a majority of the seats in Columbia County Performing Arts Center to Fort Eisenhower military police and school resource officers escorted Sikes’ casket which was carried by a horse-drawn glass carriage Georgia Department of Natural Resources police were some of the numerous officers guarding doors and guiding crowds before the service MORE: Local market craftsman creates figures in honor of fallen Columbia County Sheriff’s Deputy “We’re here totally to support our community,” said Capt “It’s always about support and solidarity for them.” “We’re here to honor his service when he was a combat medic,” said Alan Boyce president of the Washington-Wilkes County chapter of the U.S retired Army policeman with the Retired Military Police Association said his association attended to show support “As a member of the Retired Military Police Association it is our obligation to show solidarity to one of our fallen comrades,” Dawson said MORE: Deputies show courage and heroism with their actions Letters to the Editor | Opinion Crime & Courts | News Briefs General News | News | Politics & Government News | Politics & Government The Augusta Press encourages and welcomes reader comments; however we request this be done in a respectful manner and we retain the discretion to determine which comments violate our comment policy remove and/or not allow your comments to be posted The types of comments not allowed on our site include: Forgot your password? website@theaugustapress.com Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker leaving behind a legacy of service and love for the community A proud graduate of the University of Missouri with a degree in business Steve chose to follow his heart early in life After facing his first battle with cancer as a newlywed he made the decision to pursue a career he truly loved — construction Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members The first 100 words are free; over 100 words is $0.50/word Account processing issue - the email address may already exist The Columbia Parents’ Digest is a newsletter to keep you in the know about raising kids in Columbia Start your day with the latest news stories for Columbia Receive a roundup of the news of the day each evening. (View a sample.) Join the MNN Newsletter for a behind-the-scenes look at how the Columbia Missourian MBA and Vox magazine build connections across Missouri Get the latest Mizzou and local high school sports stories delivered to your inbox Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Congress amended the Clean Water Act in 2016 by adding Section 123 which required the EPA to establish a Columbia River Basin Restoration Program It was the first legislation to officially designate the national importance of restoring the Columbia River Basin – one of our nation’s largest watersheds Explore EPA's Columbia River Basin Restoration Program story map to learn more about collaborative efforts to reduce toxic pollution and protect people in the Basin Section 123 authorized the EPA to establish the Columbia River Basin Restoration Working Group with representatives of states Section 123 also directed the EPA to develop the Columbia River Basin Restoration Funding Assistance Program – a voluntary competitive grants program for environmental protection and restoration programs throughout the Basin The legislation provided a framework for future funding of toxic reduction EPA is committed to coordinating with Tribal as well as other regional Columbia River Basin restoration work efforts to implement the Columbia River Basin Restoration Act The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) completed an investigation of Columbia River Basin restoration efforts in 2018. The GAO’s final report, Columbia River Basin: Additional Federal Actions Would Benefit Restoration Efforts recommended that EPA develop a program management plan for implementing the Act The EPA's National Estuary Program is a non-regulatory program established by Congress in 1987 under the Clean Water Act to pioneer a broad and innovative approach to respond to threats to estuaries It operates through partnerships among the EPA and other federal There are 28 local National Estuary Programs (NEPs) working with local stakeholders to improve the health of the waters national guidance and technical assistance to the local NEPs Learn more about the EPA's National Estuary Program The Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership was established in 1995 and is one of the 28 National Estuary Programs that protect and restore an estuary of national significance The Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation that works along the lower 146 miles of the Columbia River from Bonneville Dam to the Pacific Ocean It is a collaborative program led by farmers and Tribal governments to restore and protect habitat and provide information about the river to a range of audiences Visit Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership to learn more about their work The Columbia River Basin is one of the nation's largest watersheds – covering more than 260,000 square miles and providing drainage for hundreds of rivers The Columbia River flows over 1,200 miles from its source in the Canadian Rockies to the Pacific Ocean It's the second largest river in the United States by volume of water flow The watershed provides an important backdrop for urban development The Tribal people of the region have depended on it for food cultural and spiritual use for thousands of years But heavy use has also caused significant declines in water quality in some areas putting human health at risk and threatening the survival of salmon and other species Thanks for visiting Columbia Police Department announced the identity of the woman who was found in the 2700 block of Cypress Street The woman was identified as 22-year-old Logan Frederico of Waxhaw who officials say died from a gunshot wound to the chest Image: CPD ( 22 year old Logan Federico shot and killed while visiting friends Saturday May 3 Police say 30-year-old Alexander Dickey shot Frederico after breaking into the home and He is also accused of going on a shopping spree with the stolen cards after the break-in and shooting he led police on a chase to a home in the Gaston area 30 Year old Alexander Dickey accused in the shooting death of 22 year old Logan Federico of North Carolina) Investigators say while he was in the home it caught fire and he had to be removed from the home Police say he has been taken into custody and is facing charges in both Richland and Lexington counties COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — According to the Columbia Police Department, officers are investigating the suspicious death of a woman as a homicide in the 2700 block of Cypress Street Crime scene investigators have processed the location for evidence and say the woman is not a Columbia resident nor student The Richland County Coroner’s Office is assisting with the case A community member informed ABC Columbia that both the 2713 and 2714 Cypress Street homes which are between Devine and Gervais Streets and near the Five Points area with crime scene investigators and a heavy police presence most of that day Monday Headlines: Columbia Police along with the Richland County Coroner’s office are trying to identify a woman who was found dead in a house on Cypress St & Columbia Investigators are working to solve two separate fatal shootings that took place back in 2021