Today's News

The fifth annual American Legion Post 31 baseball charity ride was a grand slam.

“In the past, we’ve done real well and it has to do with the response from the community, bikers and riders,” said Lancaster Post 31 athletic officer Mike Lucas. “Our ride this time around was the best we’ve had. This is our major fundraiser and it was a huge draw. This reflects well on the community and says people are willing to make a difference.”

The 2009 P-31 charity ride, held a week later than last year, drew a record 170 bikes and 225 total riders.

Graduation Day. For 815 young men and women, today is that day. They will march across a stage at one of four high school commencement ceremonies and become graduates of either Andrew Jackson, Buford, Indian Land or Lancaster high schools.

It’s usually a bittersweet occasion. Parents usually glow with pride, but often get weepy-eyed about how fast their little boy or girl has grown up. “Where did the time go? It seems like yesterday that you were starting first grade,” they say.

The notion that we can’t bring the 250 or so terrorists who need to stay locked up from Guantanamo to this country and lock them up here is pure nonsense.

The talking heads keep referring to these people as “super criminals” or “the most dangerous people alive.” This is good fiction, but that is all it is – fiction. Our regular state penitentiaries are full of people just as dangerous, if not more so, than they are.

Returning to the Columbia Metropolitan Airport from Washington D.C., the terminal was packed with adoring greeters – some active military, many veterans.

There were lots of families, at least one of which with four generations on hand. There were law enforcement personnel and troops of Boy Scouts. There were balloons, signs, banners, flags, and salutes. Some wept. An Army band played patriotic music.

It was a fitting end to a daylong trip all of us will remember for a lifetime.