The most striking image of the extreme cold that hit Lexington County the week of Christmas came out of Gilbert.

A malfunction caused the Gilbert-Summit Rural Water Service tower in the town to overflow in the wee hours of Dec. 24, sending icicles cascading down its poles and water freezing on the ground, fence and trees below.

According to Gilbert Mayor John Reeder III, the cold temperatures — which dipped to a low of 13 degrees on Christmas Eve at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport — caused a malfunction with the pump that fills the tower; its failure to shut off led to the overflow.

The Chronicle’s messages to the water service weren't returned before this issue’s Dec. 27 press deadline.

Reeder said he wasn’t aware of anyone who lost water service as a result of the overflow.

“I feel our water supply system in Gilbert is solid,” he said. “One of the best in the county as far as I’m concerned. I see upgrades happening to keep it operating at peak performance happening when needed.”

West Columbia to fund $3.5M Meeting Street improvements with recovery dollars

West Columbia City Council unanimously approved $3.5 million in American Rescue Plan Funds to pay for improvements to Meeting Street.

The vote took place at a special called meeting on Dec. 19.

The decision was “based on needs identified in City Council’s Goals and Priorities, the City-wide Redevelopment Plan and Neighborhood Revitalization Plan, the City’s Comprehensive Improvement Plan, and the list of projects submitted to Lexington County for the proposed penny tax project list,” according to a city press release.

The ballot initiative to institute a 1% Capital Project Sales Tax to fund road improvements in Lexington County was voted down by residents in November.

“Meeting Street is the primary corridor for people to access the City of West Columbia from Richland County and most areas of Lexington County when frequenting the Riverwalk and commercial areas in the River District,” the release continues. “This project will improve movement, parking, and pedestrian safety in the mix of a commercial and residential area. The proposed modifications to the current corridor include the addition of a landscaped island, on-street parking, and pedestrian crosswalks on Meeting Street.”

The $3.5 million comes out of the $8,960,195 total federal recovery funds the city received from through the American Rescue Plan.

“The last several years we’ve worked to bring revitalization to the State and Meeting Street area,” Miles said. “I am excited to see the rework of Meeting Street, which I am hopeful will spread the work of the redevelopment further into our city.”  

Cayce church holds first sanctuary service after fire

A church that suffered damage as the result of an alleged arson held its first service in its sanctuary since February on Christmas Eve.

Trinity Baptist Church in Cayce suffered extensive damage to its foyer and smoke damage to its sanctuary after a fire that Paul Peter Lavoie is accused of starting after breaking into the building on Feb. 24.

The church held its traditional Candlelight Service in the sanctuary the evening of Dec. 24.

“A lot of adjustments have been made this year so that each week we can lift His name high and sing his praises,” the church posted to Facebook. “This Christmas, we wanted to capture a glimpse of the past Candlelight services and have it in our Worship Center. Even though the decorations won’t be up, carpet won’t be on the floors, words with beautiful backgrounds won’t be on big projection screens, it will still be a special time for our church family – to gather together again in that special place for that special moment where we sing to Him with our candles in the air – forever praising his name.”

Lavoie’s court case for charges of second degree burglary and second degree arson is still pending.