6AM City In-house

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2022 Gamecock Basketball season preview
Gamecock womens basketball parade.jpg

The Gamecock Women’s Basketball team celebrate their 2022 national championship win with a parade down Main Street. | Photo by COLAtoday team


College basketball is back and the Gamecocks Women’s Basketball team begins the year as the No. 1 team in the country as Dawn Staley’s squad is shooting to bring home another championship trophy.

As for the Gamecocks men’s team, it’s a season of fresh starts under new head coach Lamont Paris and a team built with five transfers + six returning players from last year’s squad. The incoming freshman class is anchored by local star GG Jackson, who ranked as 247Sports’ No. 6 player in the country in the 2022 class.

With both Gamecock teams opening the season next week, we’ve got you covered for the Gamecock’s notable highlights for the upcoming season.

🏀 Gamecock Women’s Basketball
  • The team opens their season on Mon., Nov. 7 at 8:30 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena against East Tennessee State. Tickets are available here.
  • The return of Raven “Hollywood” Johnson. Raven was the No. 1 ranked point guard in the nation in the 2021 class but suffered a season-ending injury early last season.
  • Head coach Dawn Staley returns 10 players from last year’s championship squad, including four of the five starters.
  • Reigning National Player of the Year, Aliyah Boston, is back for another season after a record-setting junior campaign.
🏀 Gamecock Men’s Basketball
  • The team opens their season on Tue., Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena against South Carolina State. Tickets are available here.
  • This team includes six players from South Carolina and two from just over the border in Charlotte, NC.
  • The game against Upstate rival Clemson is the second game of the year while school is in session. This game typically takes place over winter break.
  • New head coach Lamont Paris is joined by local + Gamecock legend Carey Rich, who will assist the team as a special assistant.
Interested in catching a game this year? The Gamecock Go Pass — a $20 a month subscription mobile ticket plan — offers access to home games for men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s soccer, and volleyball.

We want to make sure that you’re catching all the sports coverage you need to join the conversation. As the fall season gets going, tell us what kind of sports content you want to see in COLAtoday. By completing the survey, you’ll be entered in a drawing for a chance to win team-branded swag up to $100 in value.
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Click here to have your event featured.

Wednesday, November 2
  • Florida Man | Wednesday, Nov. 2 | 6 p.m. | New Brookland Tavern, 122 State St, West Columbia | $15 | Charleston-based hardcore band Florida Man bring their brand of cathartic noise punk and energetic live show to New Brookland Tavern.
Thursday, November 3
  • First Thursday and Public Art Walk | Thursday, Nov. 3 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St, Columbia, SC | Free | Meet CMA affinity group the Contemporaries on Boyd Plaza for a walking tour guided by the talented public art docents of One Columbia exploring the public art around the Main Street District.
  • Jazz on the River in West Columbia | Thursday, Nov. 3 | 6-9 p.m. | West Columbia Riverwalk Park and Amphitheater, 109 Alexander Rd., West, Columbia, SC | Free | Join ColaJazz on Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. for live music, good food, and drinks.
Friday, November 4
  • November Harvest Dinner with Guest Chef Blair Machado | Friday, Nov. 4 | 6:30 p.m. | City Roots Farm, 1005 Airport Blvd , Columbia, SC | $85 | The harvest feast is prepared as a family-style, four-course farm-to-table dinner paired with wines by Chef/Owner Kristian Niemi and Guest Chef Blair Machado from Hamfish and Nomadic Supper Club.
  • The NoMa Flea | Friday, Nov. 4-Friday, Dec. 16 | 6-9 p.m. | NoMa Warehouse, 2222 Sumter St, Columbia, SC | Free | The Friday market features vintage curators, candle makers, fine artists, herbal healers, fashion designers, local jewelers, and expert collectors with beverages + foods available.
  • Wingard’s Market Holiday Soiree | Friday, Nov. 4-Saturday, Nov. 5 | 9 a.m.-6 p.m. | Wingard’s Market, 1430 N Lake Dr. , Lexington | Free | Celebrate the holiday season with cocktails and charcuterie at Wingard’s Market.
Saturday, Nov. 5
  • Meeting Street Artisan Market | Saturday, Nov. 5-Saturday, Dec. 10 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Interactive Art Park, 425 Meeting St., West, Columbia, SC | Free | The market includes vendors selling original art, crafts, foods, and produce.
We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
100+ MORE EVENTS
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You don’t have to wait until Tues., Nov. 8 to vote — here’s how. 🗳
Voting line_League of Women Voters SC_MULTI
VOTE411 also features a checklist to make voting for the first time stress-free. | Photo provided by the League of Women Voters
Did you know there are still three days left to cast your vote early? Soda Citizens can take advantage of Early Voting with 11 locations open across Aiken, Lexington, and Richland counties from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Sat., Nov. 5.

Ready to vote — today or Tues., Nov. 8? Head to VOTE411, the League of Women Voters’ nonpartisan information site, to:
  • Compare candidates
  • Find your correct polling site
  • Review a personalized ballot
  • And more*
GET READY TO VOTE

Weather
  • 76º | Mostly cloudy | 5% chance of rain
Coming Soon
  • The popular Devine Street children’s clothing store Duck Duck Goose will open a new location at 4525-C Forest Dr., next door to Be Beep toy shop. The boutique sells boys’ + girls’ clothing, books, toys, offers monogramming services, and gift registries. The shop plans to open sometime this month. 👚
Tech
  • Lexington-based company Copyt, a tech startup developed for inventory management, received a $50,000 Acceleration Grant from South Carolina Research Authority. Designed specifically for the secondary sneaker market, the software provides features like financial analytics, listing, and delisting in one platform. 👟
Open
  • Forest Drive Dental Care + Columbia Children’s Dentistry on Forest Drive are now open on Saturdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The expanded hours offer flexibility for families and weekday workers to make weekend appointments. 🦷
Cause
  • Ezekial Ministries currently has over 70 kids that need to be matched with mentors in the Midlands. The nonprofit partners with local churches to help recruit adult mentors who will invest in children’s lives. Ezekial Ministries merged with Big Brothers Big Sisters two years ago and has taken on their caseload.
  • We’re shuckin’ out one more oyster event for a good cause. Harmony School in Forest Acres is hosting an Oyster Roast + Silent Auction on Sat., Nov. 12, from 6-10 p.m. Tickets are $50 and include all-you-can-eat and two drink tickets. 🦪
Number
  • $100,000. The amount Aflac awarded through a CareGrant to Good Samaritan Clinic to support its mission of making healthcare more accessible in underserved communities. On Wed., Nov. 9, at 9:30 a.m, a commemorative park bench will be installed at Riverfront Park with Mayor Rickenmann on hand to participate in a ribbon-cutting event.
Health
  • Most people have heard of mammograms and colonoscopies — but did you know there’s a screening for lung cancer? Here’s what you need to know about lung cancer screening, including the (huge) benefit of increasing treatment effectiveness by catching lung cancer early.*
History
  • From setting record passenger numbers in 2005 to adding new airlines + more nonstop flights, 2000-2009 brought some big-time changes to Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE). Take a peek at the major CAE milestones (and photos) from the 00s. ✈️ *
DYK
  • Did you know you can share your Black Friday deals with our COLAtoday readers? Promote your business with us by submitting a deal to be included in our Fri., Nov. 25 newsletter. Pricing varies by market + must be submitted by Wed., Nov. 16.
Shop
  • The holiday season is just around the corner and we have the perfect wine chiller to keep your bottle of sparkly cool when hosting guests. Not only is it stainless steel and vacuum insulated, but its three different styles — teakwood, black marble, and calacatta gold — are sure to pop against your holiday decor. 🍾*
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6AM City In-house

Historic Columbia holidays

Plan Ahead for these historic holiday events
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The Historic Columbia gardens are free and open to the public. | Photo by COLAtoday team


Historic Columbia announced its November programming schedule which includes free events, historic holiday tours, and concerts in the gardens. Get out your calendars and plan ahead for these historic events.

🍁 Second Sunday Stroll | Sun., Nov. 13 | 2–3:30 p.m. | Tour beings at Columbia Visitor’s Center | $10 | Explore The Vista with this 90-minute guided walking tour while highlighting the architecture and history of The Vista.

🍁 Holiday Tours at Historic Columbia | 12-3 p.m. | Fri., Nov. 16-Fri., Dec. 30 | Tours begin at the Robert Mills Gift Shop | $18 | Experience a guided holiday tour of the Robert Mills House and the Hampton-Preston Mansion showcasing the historic homes’ holiday decorations and traditions.

🍁 Concert in the Gardens | Thur., Nov. 17 | 5-7 p.m. | Hampton-Preston Mansion | $20 | Performers from the South Carolina Philharmonic will join Historic Columbia to present a beautiful concert of light classics in the gardens.

🍁 Free Sundays Presented by Still Hopes at The Museum of the Reconstruction Era | Sun., Nov. 20 | 1-4 p.m. | Free | The self-guided tours will take you through the Museum of the Reconstruction Era — the nation’s only museum dedicated to interpreting the post-Civil War Reconstruction period and South Carolina’s only remaining presidential site.
6AM City In-house
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by David.

Editor’s pick: I’m a season ticket holder and longtime Gamecock men’s basketball fan, so I’m happy for the team to have a fresh start after last season. I’m also excited to watch GG Jackson play in front of his hometown fans and develop into the superstar many think he might become.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Read about where you can find oysters around Cola, here.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Samantha Robertson, David Stringer, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Kaylee Holland, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Lindsey Rhinesmith | Advertise with us.

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