Plus, CO coming to Trenholm Plaza in Forest Acres.
6AM City In-house

Hoops legend on Main 🏀

Dawn Staley to get statue across from State House
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Gamecock fans await the women’s basketball team at the 2022 parade. | Photo by COLAtoday
Dawn Staley — oh, you know, just:
  • The Gamecock’s Women’s Basketball coach
  • American basketball Hall of Famer (player and coach)
  • Three-time Olympic gold medal winner (player and coach)
  • Two-time NCAA National Championship winner (🤞 for three)
is getting a statue at the corner of Gervais and Main Streets, across the street from the State House.

The bronze replica statue will stand 1½ times her 5 ft 6 in. height and be unveiled early next year, with funding coming from Statues for Equality, along with private funding.

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Cocky gazes at Dawn Staley as she speaks to the crowd at the 2022 National Championship parade in downtown Columbia. | Photo by COLAtoday


🏛️ Placement

In June of 2021, the Columbia City of Women unveiled a 16-ft-tall statue called “The Architecture of Strength” at the corner of Main and Gervais Streets, just outside of Hall’s Chophouse.

Coach Staley’s statue will be placed nearby to honor and acknowledge her impact on the Columbia community. She’s no stranger to the State House steps, it’s where she speaks after each National Championship parade.

🏀 Coach Staley at USC

Since taking over the women’s basketball program in 2008, Coach Staley has led the Gamecocks to six SEC regular season championships, six SEC tournament championships, eight Sweet Sixteen appearances, and four Final Fours while posting an overall record of 366-105 (.777) over 14 seasons.

The current team is ranked No. 1 in the country (and has been for 33 straight weeks, breaking SEC history), and riding a 23-game winning streak this year with a huge matchup on Sunday vs. No. 3 LSU. Grab a ticket here.

🗽 About Statues for Equality

Statues for Equality advocates for gender equality with the goal of creating public statues to inspire, celebrate success, and tell essential community stories. A few notable statues are for pioneers like Jane Goodall, Harriet Tubman, and Eleanor Roosevelt.
MUSC Health

Click here to have your event featured.

Friday, Feb. 10
  • Journey: Freedom Tour 2023 with special guest TOTO | Friday, Feb. 10 | 7:30 p.m. | Colonial Life Arena, 801 Lincoln St., Columbia | $35-$198.50 | Rock & Roll Hall of Famers will take the stage with their catalog of chart-topping hits, including “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Any Way You Want It,” and “Lights.”
  • “From the Mothers With Love” Sketch Show | Friday, Feb. 10-Saturday, Feb. 11 | Times vary | Trustus Theatre, 520 Lady St., Columbia | $5 | The Mothers, Trustus’ award-winning improv and sketch comedy group, will present their latest sketch show, “From the Mothers With Love.”
  • Hillmouse, Thousand Dollar Movie, Sunhouse, Ben Walker | Friday, Feb. 10 | 7-11 p.m. | New Brookland Tavern, 122 State St., West Columbia | $10-$12 | Local indie rock band Hillmouse will feature Emily McCollum of Stagbriar on guitar for the first time.
Saturday, Feb. 11
  • Dinner Detective Interactive Murder Mystery Dinner Show | Saturday, Feb. 11 | 6-9 p.m. | Cambria Columbia Downtown the Vista, 1000 Lady St., Columbia | $59.99 | At The Dinner Detective, you’ll tackle a hilarious and challenging crime while you feast on a dinner.
  • SwordFest 2023 | Saturday, Feb. 11 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | South Carolina Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum, 301 Gervais St., Columbia | Free | Just when you thought it was safe to go out without your sword and shield, SwordFest is back at the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum.
  • Donation Days at Irmo Branch Library | Saturday, Feb. 11 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Irmo Branch Library, 6251 St Andrews Rd., Columbia | Free | Books may be dropped off curbside at the side entrance to the library, where Friends volunteers will assist in unloading.
Sunday, Feb. 12
We have a calendar filled with events and 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

7 common mistakes when hiring a financial advisor
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Choosing the right financial advisor is one of the most impactful decisions families make. | Photo by SmartAsset
Life should be a balance of adventure and relaxation — not finances. Enter: Working with a financial advisor. But choosing the wrong one could potentially wreak havoc on your retirement and investments.

Avoid these seven common mistakes when hiring a financial advisor so you can get back to the balance that matters most.

Pro tip: For simplicity, try this free tool to get matched with up to three vetted financial advisors serving your area.*
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Weather
  • 66º | Rain | 96% chance of rain
Coming Soon
  • CO, an Asian fusion restaurant out of Charleston that serves pho, ramen, and banh mi, plans to open a new location in Trenholm Plaza by the end of this year. The Forest Acres shopping center is booming with changes, including a 10,000 sqft expansion of Publix. (The Post and Courier)
Closing
  • I’ll be baak-bak-bak-bak said the Chick-fil-A at 2299 Augusta Rd. in West Columbia, near Dreher Plaza. The chicken restaurant announced it would temporarily close for renovations on Friday but didn’t share a reopening date. Here’s a map of more Chick-fil-A locations in the area. 🐣
Biz
  • Nominations are open for the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance’s (SCMA) second annual Manufacturing Madness tournament to find the “Coolest Thing Made in South Carolina.” Last year’s contest had over 175 products nominated and saw 113,000 votes cast, with the award going to Nucor Steel Berkeley’s product, steel. 🔥
Community
  • The South Carolina Ag + Art Tour, the largest free farm and art tour in the nation, is accepting applications until March 1 for 2023 participants. Tour sites and artisans are encouraged to apply for the event happening June 10-11 in Richland County and on May 6 in Lexington County. 🚜
Pets
  • It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a fleet of Dachshunds? Dachshunds of Columbia is hosting a weenie walk on Saturday, Feb. 18, at 10 a.m. The group meets at the USC Horseshoe before taking a short stroll to the State House for photos. 🌭
Cause
  • The City of Columbia is partnering with the American Red Cross to host the 13th annual Columbia Lifesavers Blood Drive on March 10 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. All donors will receive a $10 prepaid gift card and be entered for a chance to win $3,000. Make an appointment here. 🩸
Wellness
  • “New Year, New You” is about more than nutrition and exercise — mental wellness also plays a big part in healthy living. Why? Because it shapes how people make choices, manage stress, work with others + more. Need a mental health check? Here are 12 mental health questions to ask yourself.*
Seasonal
  • Here’s your reminder that Valentine’s Day is next Tuesday. Don’t forget to order that special someone a bouquet of flowers that will leave a lasting impression. Psst — check out Floom, an online marketplace that partners with florists that deliver locally. Shop Floom’s selection of special edition Valentine’s Day arrangements. 💐 *
Stat
  • 59% of our readers recently told us they plan on traveling to Europe in 2023. Babbel’s user-friendly app gets readers speaking one of 14 different languages in as little as three weeks. Want to try it out? Snag 55% off your subscription today. 🌏 *
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A hop, skip, and a Jaunt

Jaunt around downtown Columbia
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The Jaunt services several districts around dowtown Columbia. | Photo by COLAtoday
David here 👋 Let me share my first experience with Jaunt, a free ride-share service in downtown Columbia — but tips are always welcome.

I was sitting in the front window of Indah Coffee when the six-door Jaunt vehicle drove by wrapped in an advertisement for Cutwater, a brand of alcoholic canned cocktails. It caught my attention, so when I was ready to leave, I decided to try it out. I texted the number (803) 929-8999 and within minutes, the Jaunt was there to pick me up.

The electric vehicle was comfortable and perfect for a quick zip down Main Street. It’s able to operate free of charge thanks to advertisements inside and outside the vehicle.

Try it for yourself. Current hours are Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. + Fri.-Sat. 7 p.m.-1 a.m.
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by David.

Editor’s pick: Riverbanks Zoo migrated to a new Instagram account and had to start over from scratch. We’re hoping to help get them to 5,000 followers by Sunday at 5 p.m. If you’re a grammer, show some love for our local zoo and give them a follow.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Learn how to use Columbia’s Blue Bike system, here.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Samantha Robertson, David Stringer, Erin McPherson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith| Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Lindsey Rhinesmith| Advertise with us.

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