Defense Contractor Attorney Near Lexington, SC

Lexington County, SC – Families in Lexington County School District Four are being urged to prepare for an e-Learning day today, Monday, February 2, as winter weather continues to impact road and travel conditions across the region.

According to Lexington School District Four officials, all schools will transition to e-Learning due to a winter storm warning that remains in effect through Sunday morning. Forecasters warn of potential snow accumulation followed by overnight freezing temperatures, which could create hazardous road conditions into early Monday.

District officials say colder temperatures are expected to freeze any remaining moisture on roadways, making travel unsafe for students, staff, and families during the morning commute. The decision was made to allow families additional time to prepare for remote instruction.

Students will be marked present for the e-Learning day as long as all assigned work is completed by Friday, February 6. Parents can expect further communication from individual schools and teachers with specific instructions related to online assignments and attendance requirements.

In addition to the shift to remote learning, all afterschool activities, extracurricular events, and athletic programs scheduled for Monday have been canceled, according to the district.

Lexington School District Four serves communities across Lexington County, located in the Midlands region near the Columbia metro area. Officials encourage families to continue monitoring district communications and local weather updates as conditions evolve.

Residents are advised to limit unnecessary travel, monitor road conditions, and take precautions during freezing overnight temperatures.

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Lexington County deputies are asking drivers who must travel to use caution.

LEXINGTON, S.C. — Officials across Lexington County asked residents to stay off the roads overnight as ice continues to coat roadways, creating dangerous driving conditions throughout the area.

Authorities say conditions have steadily worsened as rain falls onto already cold surfaces, leading to slushy ice and black ice in spots that may be difficult for drivers to see. Emergency officials stress that travel should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

Near Interstate 26 in Irmo, reported slick roads as temperatures continued to drop Sunday evening.

Lexington County deputies are asking drivers who must travel to increase their following distance, slow down, and begin braking well before stop lights and stop signs. Captain Adam Myrick with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department said law enforcement and first responders are actively monitoring conditions across the county.

“Our main focus really is on the icy conditions of the road,” Myrick said. “We’re getting calls from citizens, but also from deputies, firefighters, paramedics and public works crews who are out there monitoring those road conditions.”

Myrick said the county is using a public-facing dashboard to track problem areas, road closures and reopenings, and known trouble spots where ice has become especially hazardous. While no major road closures had been announced as of Sunday night, officials say several areas are already flagged as dangerous.

One of those trouble spots includes Maiden Lane in the Town of Lexington, where icy conditions have been reported.

Officials also remind residents to give themselves extra time if they must head out, including allowing time to fully clear ice and slush from vehicles before driving. Crews on scene described vehicles quickly becoming re-covered with slushy ice as rain continues to fall and temperatures remain below freezing.

LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. (WIS) - A teacher at Columbia’s South Carolina Whitmore School was arrested Thursday.

Records show 34-year-old Erin Wheeler was booked into the Lexington County Detention Center on a count of unlawful neglect of a child.

According to an incident report obtained from the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Wheeler is accused of punching a child in the forehead on Nov. 27, 2025.

She then reportedly followed the child into a bathroom and continued punching them in the forehead and upper body. The victim, meanwhile, tried to block the punches with their arms and sustained bruises as a result.

The incident report also said that the incident took place outside of the school.

Wheeler is a special education teacher at Whitmore and was named the school’s teacher of the year in 2025, according to their website.

The school sent the following statement to WIS when asked about her arrest:

“South Carolina Whitmore School’s administration was informed today of the arrest of one of its faculty members by the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. To the best of our knowledge, the incident leading to the arrest did not involve the employee’s employment with South Carolina Whitmore School or any South Carolina Whitmore School student. The employee has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.”

This is a developing story. Stay with WIS for the latest.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - A group of Buddhist monks who are traveling from Texas to Washington, D.C. on a walk for peace reached Columbia Saturday afternoon.

After leaving Lexington Saturday morning, the group crossed the Gervais Street bridge into the capital around 2 p.m.

They reached the State House shortly before 3 p.m. and received a proclamation from the City of Columbia from Mayor Daniel Rickenmann and a proclamation from South Carolina, presented by State Sen. Deon Tedder.

The monks will then head to their overnight resting place at the Lutheran Theological Seminary. Members of the public can visit them from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The monks are then expected to travel north on Sunday through Blythewood.

MORE ON THEIR JOURNEY

The Venerable Monks began their journey on Oct. 26, 2025, and plan to visit nine other states outside of South Carolina: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland.

The group said in a statement that they hope that their walk will remind Americans that “peace is not a destination- it is a practice.”

“As the nation faces challenges of division, mental health crises, and conflict, both at home and abroad, this pilgrimage offers a simple yet profound message: peace begins within the heart of each person and extends outward to families, communities, and society as a whole,” they said in their statement.

The peace pilgrimage is expected to end in D.C. on Feb. 13, 2026, at the Capitol, where the monks are hoping to be able to give a short statement.

To keep track of the monks’ progress, you can use a map that shows an overview of their entire route, another that shows their planned route every day or you can check their nightly update posts on Facebook.

You can also support their mission by clicking/tapping here.

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LEXINGTON, S.C. —

The Buddhist Monks are making their way through South Carolina as part of their Walk for Peace, but you won't see #AlokathePeaceDog walking with them on Friday.

Aloka is fine. He's just going to ride in an escort car for some much-needed rest.

Here is what the monks posted on Facebook as they made their way to Lexington, South Carolina, on Friday.

A Day of Rest for Our Beloved Aloka - Day 76 (1/9/2026)

"Today, with much love and care, we have made the thoughtful decision to give our dear Aloka a rest day. He will follow the venerable monks in the escort car instead of walking.

"We know Aloka’s heart—he would much, much rather be walking right beside the monks as he faithfully does every day. His loyal spirit doesn’t understand rest when there are miles to walk and monks to accompany. But we must lovingly remember: health and well-being of the Venerable Monks and Aloka are always our highest priority.

"After many days of walking this long journey, Aloka needs some rest days. We give him rest when his body needs it. We provide him with attentive health care. We ensure he receives the best nutrition. We watch over him with tender care and deep affection every single day.

"This is what love looks like: not always giving what is wanted in the moment, but always providing what is needed for long-term well-being.So today, our sweet Aloka rides safely with us. And tomorrow, when he is rested, refreshed, and ready, he will walk again with all the joy, loyalty, and beautiful dedication that makes him so special to all of us.May you and all beings be well, happy and at peace."

The monks started their 2,300-mile journey in Fort Worth, Texas, on Oct. 26 and are traveling through 10 states en route to Washington, D.C.

The monks arrived in South Carolina on Tuesday evening and are expected in Lexington on Friday.

On Friday morning, the monks posted this message on Facebook:

"We have just started our walk from Leesville, South Carolina, heading through Gilbert to Lexington. The journey continues through South Carolina, one step at a time. We warmly welcome everyone to visit us at our stops!"

Here is the schedule for Friday as of Friday morning;

Along the route, the monks are being met by hundreds of supporters along the road, holding signs, flowers, and praying for the group.

The original route through South Carolina had the group walking through part of Abbeville, Laurens, and possibly Union counties. On Jan. 2, the route changed to take a path through Columbia before heading north to North Carolina.

If you would like to follow their path, click on this map or check out the map below:

To track them live, click here or check out the map below:

The group has amassed a huge audience on social media, with more than 874,000 followers on Facebook. Aloka, who is named after a Sanskrit word meaning enlightenment, has its own hashtag, #AlokathePeaceDog, and Facebook page, with more than 500,000 followers.

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy that evolved from the teachings of Gautama Buddha, a prince turned teacher who is believed to have lived in northern India and attained enlightenment between the 6th and 4th centuries B.C. The religion spread to other parts of Asia after his death and came to the West in the 20th century. The Buddha taught that the path to end suffering and become liberated from the cycle of birth, death and reincarnation includes the practice of non-violence, mental discipline through meditation, and showing compassion for all beings.

While Buddhism has branched into a number of sects over the centuries, its rich tradition of peace activism continues. Its social teaching was pioneered by figures like the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh, who have applied core principles of compassion and non-violence to political, environmental and social justice as well as peace-building efforts around the world.