Amazing Amethyst!
Not only is the amethyst February's birthstone, it is also South Carolina's state gemstone. Once considered more valuable than diamonds, amethysts were coveted by queens and kings around the globe. Prospectors in the small town of Antreville found an amethyst weighing 188 pounds in the spring of 2008! It is the biggest cluster of pure amethyst crystals ever found in SC, and is on display in the SC State Museum in Columbia ... [learn more]

A Dixie Delicacy
Boiled peanuts are enjoyed year-round in the Palmetto State and can be found everywhere from fairs and festivals to sporting events and roadside stands. They are such an important part of South Carolina culture that they were designated our official state snack in 2006 ... [see sc boiled peanuts]

Spill Your Scoop!
Movies made in SC include well-known favorites such as Forrest Gump, The Patriot, and The Abyss. There are also films you may not have heard of or didn't realize had a connection to our state. In this spirit we'd like to direct you to SCIWAY's list of Movies Filmed in SC. In time – and as we get more input from you – we hope to expand our directory to include more films, details, and personal stories ... [see movies filmed in sc]

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• Bull Street plan includes lots of greenery

• Accounting hiccup cuts $1.4 million from Columbia’s surplus

• Hefty pay raises for two winning coaches

• Charleston-based Thai restaurant to open in Columbia

• S.C. & Ga. at impasse over Jasper port

• Remember winter? It’s back

• Civil-rights pioneer laid to rest

• MATTERS OF FAITH

• S.C. political briefs

• Social issues step up; jobs debate falls back

• Fire under investigation

• People allowed to return after gas leak (+video)

• Democrats accuse schools chief of truancy

• State could take cut of city fees, fines

• Shooting death under investigation Shooting death under investigation Shooting death under investigation

• April ballots set in South Congaree, Eastover