Criminal Defense Lawyer in Columbia, SC

A Myrtle Beach woman was arrested after investigators said her backyard fire spread into a 2,000-acre wildfire, forcing evacuations in Carolina Forest.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — A woman has been arrested and accused of being responsible for a wildfire that caused multiple evacuations near Myrtle Beach over the weekend.

The South Carolina Forestry Commission said that 40-year-old Alexandra Bialousow of Myrtle Beach was arrested on Thursday on two charges related to a yard debris burn that has since turned into a wildfire covering more than 2,000 acres in the Carolina Forest area.

Witnesses told investigators that Bialousow intentionally started the fire in a backyard fire pit that was close to the tree line in the Covington Lakes subdivision on March 1. The South Carolina Forestry Commission, citing warrants, said she "did not have an appropriate water source readily available" and didn't "have any garden tools on hand to control the fire."

The fire then spread to land owned by the Walker Woods Homeowners Association.

Investigators charged Bialousow with negligently allowing fire to spread to the lands or property of another and starting a fire in woodlands, grasslands, and other places that are unlawful unless certain precautions are taken.

The South Carolina Forestry Commission said that, if convicted for the first charge, Bialousow faces imprisonment for five to 30 days and a fine between $25 and $200. For the second charge, she could be fined up to $200 and imprisoned for up to 30 days.

The blaze, dubbed the Carolina Forest wildfire, was one of more than a hundred reported across South Carolina and one of, if not the largest, fire reported over the weekend. Departments across the state had sent equipment and personnel to assist Horry County Fire Rescue.

Not long after the fire, Gov. Henry McMaster issued a State of Emergency declaration to help facilitate the movement of state agencies and employees to help.

As of Thursday night, the Covington Drive fire was considered 55% contained.

Neo-soul music saved my life. This Black musical movement — part R&B, part hip-hop — spoke directly to my soul as a young Black kid searching for something to hold onto. With all my rage, emotions, locks and vegetarian lifestyle, I needed a soft place to land. Neo-soul provided that backdrop, offering music that truly understood me.

When people discuss this genre, specific names always come up: Erykah Badu, Common, The Roots, Jill Scott and D'Angelo. However, one name that should always be included in that chorus is Angie Stone. Her debut album, "Black Diamond," followed by the Gold-certified "Mahogany Soul," represents some of the best soul music of the early 2000s. Even projects like D'Angelo's "Voodoo" — an album I’d argue is my favorite of all time — wouldn’t be what they are without Stone’s pen. Check the writing credits; you’ll see her name all over the liner notes.

Angie Stone was ours. I used to joke with people unfamiliar with Columbia that, unless it was bad news, our city only made national headlines for the “big three”: A’ja Wilson, Dawn Staley and Angie Stone.

After hearing the news of her passing, I didn’t know what to say on social media. Somehow, putting it into words would make it too real. However, seeing the outpouring of love from people in Columbia brought a sense of solace — stories, memories and tributes. She never forgot where she came from, and we never forgot her. She belonged to Columbia, and Columbia belonged to her.

Every musician making Black music in Columbia has a story about meeting her and witnessing her talent firsthand. Over 20 years ago, I performed at a small coffee shop, backed by an aspiring band, my lyrics infused with Hotep wisdom. Someone whispered, “Yo! Angie’s gonna be here!” The idea that she might hear me was monumental.

Getting approval from her wasn’t like getting a pat on the back from your folks — it was different. She was the orchestrator of the soundtrack to my life. Her look, sound, presence — everything about her felt like home. I remember hearing "Brotha" for the first time, feeling like she had written it just for me, a young Black man from Columbia:

"You mean so much to me; you give me what I need. I’m so proud of you; I said I’m so proud of you. I love you for stayin’ strong; you got it goin’ on. I’m so proud of you."

I’m not being a prisoner of the moment when I say this — I had never heard anyone say those words to me in a song before. It’s like the age-old joke that Tupac made "Dear Mama," but where was the anthem for Black men? Angie Stone gave us that.

Just weeks before her passing, she took to social media, speaking about an industry that took advantage of her, about the royalties and recognition she deserved but never fully received. And let’s be clear: being a member of The Sequence — the first all-female hip-hop group — alone should have cemented her name as a groundbreaker, an originator. She should be a "Jeopardy!" question. Her music should be featured in countless films. She should be universally recognized as South Carolina and American music royalty because she was.

Her passing comes not even a week after the loss of another Black music pioneer, Roberta Flack, another legend whose contributions risk fading from mainstream memory. As people say, we’re losing recipes. It’s up to us to amplify these voices and ensure that future generations cannot possibly ignore their impact.

I don’t even know how to feel. I’ve been playing her music all weekend, moving through a spectrum of emotions — tears, joy and even a few smiles. I’ve felt it all.

My heart goes to her family, friends and fans — anyone Angie Stone’s brilliance has ever touched. I hope to hear her music blasting from cars this week as we all find ways to heal. Fortunately for us, she left us the music to do just that.

For all of us who were saved by this movement of soul music, artists like Angie Stone reminded us that not only was life worth rooting for but, as she told us in Brotha, “You know that Angie loves ya.”

A new voice in Southern literature is emerging this spring with "Hellions," a shorty story collection from Columbia-based author Julia Elliot.

This collection, publishing April 15, already has received rave reviews from authors Jeff VanderMeer, Brian Evenson and Carmen Maria Machado.

"Hellions" is a collection of 11 short stories set in various places and time periods, from a medieval convent to the modern-day rural South. As you make your way through the book there is no telling what you will find on the next page.

“(I wrote this) for smart weirdos with a sense of wonder,” Elliot said.

Elliot is the author of the 2014 story collection "The Wilds," which was a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice. In 2015, she released "The New and Improved Romie Futch," which follows a South Carolina taxidermist as he undergoes a science experiment and hunts for the famed Hampton County “Hogzilla.”

Elliot teaches English and Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of South Carolina, and lives in Columbia with her husband, daughter Eva and five hens.

“Eva is the biggest inspirational force in my life,” Elliot said. “A fantastic artist, reader and writer, she constantly shares weird dreams, surreal artwork and story ideas that I am tempted to steal.”

The dedication page in "Hellions" simply says “For Eva.”

“(Eva) reconnects me to my own childhood self, not only helping me tap into those powerful creative forces but also contributing to the complexity of my younger characters,” Elliot said “Over the course of my career I have written a lot of stories from the perspective of girls relying on my own experience, but now I incorporate elements from her personality, intellect and imagination.”

In the novel she is currently working on, the story is told from the perspective of a 13-year-old girl.

The stories of 'Hellions'

The process of writing a novel versus a short story is not the same. They "take root" in her imagination differently, Elliot said.

“Stories often erupt from weird visions or strange ideas that I jot down in a sentence or two," she explained. "Novel ideas might arise from odd images, they are usually connected to other ideas that build into a complex kernel concept that requires extensive word count to develop."

Elliot was already in the midst of writing two more books while working on the short story collection.

“As I work on novels, backlogs of story ideas build up, ideas that I pounce on during breaks between novel drafts and projects,” Elliot said.

Elliot has expanded some of her short stories into novels, such as "The New and Improved Romie Futch" from 2015.

“My current novel in progress, 'Frog,' a sci-fi retelling of 'The Princess and the Frog' also began as a short story, albeit one that had no science fiction elements and was more firmly planted in the misty realm of fairy tales,” Elliot said.

Elliot will participate in an exclusive pre-publication event at the Read Freely Fest at the Richland Main Library March 29 and 30.

The official book launch is scheduled for May 1 at the Columbia Museum of Art at 5:30 p.m. Visit tinhouse.com for the latest updates.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Foodies, get excited ― Columbia is getting its very own open-air food hall.

Modeled after GATHER GVL, an outdoor food hall in Greenville, GATHER COLA, is coming to the Bull Street District.

“This project will bring a diversity of food offerings and a vibrant energy to the already active Bull Street project,” said Frank Cason, president of Cason Development Group. “This is a project for all of Columbia to enjoy!”

The food hall will be more than 32,000 square feet and have multiple levels, according to a news release from developers Cason Development Group.

Construction on the food hall has already begun and its expected to open by the end of this year, the developers said.

Nine restaurants spaces are available, a news release said.

After trying a new type of food, people can shop around at some of the pop-up retail spaces inside the food hall.

GATHER COLA will also have two bar areas ― one with a rooftop view.

The new food market will compliment a large green space, called The Lawn, that is being developed between Bull, Freed and Pickens streets, which is near the historic Babcock Center.

The Lawn is expected to open in 2025.

That area of Columbia is expected to undergo many new developments in the next couple years and is attracting several interesting restaurants.

This Thursday, Tupelo Honey, a southern restaurant from Asheville, North Carolina, featuring breakfast and lunch fare, is hosting a grand opening at their new location on Pickens Street.

Coastal Crust, a South Carolina pizzeria, is also coming to Columbia’s Bull Street District.

Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar and Rising Roll Gourmet Cafe are two of the other restaurants coming to the Bull Street District.

Food vendors, retailers, and businesses interested can contact Holly Buxton with Cason Development Group at 803- 550-3145. Office space is also available, the developers said.

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