Storm rips the South to shreds, but Columbia County avoids the worst of it

A man talks on the phone next to a damaged postal truck at an apartment complex where heavy weather passed through Thursday in Spartanburg, S.C. (SEAN RAYFORD/Associated Press)
A man talks on the phone next to a damaged postal truck at an apartment complex where heavy weather passed through Thursday in Spartanburg, S.C. (SEAN RAYFORD/Associated Press)

While locally reports of downed trees and power outages were plentiful, Columbia County and surrounding areas were largely spared the brunt of a storm that stretched all the way to New England and res…