🌳 The updates

• Five lanes will be turned into two
• Sidewalks will be widened
• Updated landscaping (like the planting of more trees)
• Improvements to pedestrian-friendly activities like bike lanes

🏫 The present

🚲 The future

• Pedestrians will be able to use all crossings unless redirected by detours.
• All street parking on South Main will be temporarily closed. Note: The university’s D lots for faculty and staff will remain open.
• Traffic will be able to use all crossings with temporary exceptions. Note: When crews work on Devine Street in the first phase, the street’s tenants and parking will only be accessible from Assembly Street.

• South Carolina Gamecocks Baseball vs. Winthrop Eagles Baseball | Tuesday, Feb. 21 | 4 p.m. | Founders Park, 431 Williams St., Columbia | $12-$15 | Stop by Founders Park for a mid-week afternoon game.
• Stroller Tour: Featured Exhibitions | Tuesday, Feb. 21 | 1:30-2:30 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St., Columbia | Free | Caregivers and babies are invited on a stroller-friendly tour of “Our Own Work, Our Own Way” — registration required and wiggles welcome.*

• South Carolina Gamecocks Mens Basketball vs. Alabama Crimson Tide | Wednesday, Feb. 22 | 9 p.m. | Colonial Life Arena, 801 Lincoln St., Columbia | $20-$55 | Watch the Gamecocks take on Alabama, the current No. 2 team in the country.
• Broadway in Columbia • Riverdance: 25th Anniversary Show | Wednesday, Feb. 22-Thursday, Feb. 23 | 7:30 p.m. | Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene St., Columbia | $39-$65 | This is a reimagining of the classic show with spectacular stage and costume designs.

• Garden Asana - Grass Roots Yoga | Thursday, Feb. 23 | 8:15-9:15 a.m. | Gardener’s Outpost, 1211 Franklin St., Columbia | $15 | This class is for everyone, focuses on breath, and you will have the opportunity to receive personal adjustments.
• Irmo Library Donation Day | Thursday, Feb. 23 | 2-5 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.

• South Carolina Gamecocks Baseball vs. University of Pennsylvania Quakers Baseball | Friday, Feb. 24-Sunday, Feb. 26 | Times vary | Founders Park, 431 Williams St., Columbia | $12-$15 | Don’t forget about the clear bag policy as you enter the stadium.

• 73º | Cloudy | 10% chance of rain

• Ascend Studios, a luxury salon, is coming soon to Cardinal Crossing in Forest Acres. The new salon will take up 3,280 sqft of retail space and have stylists, barbers, estheticians, and massage therapists. An opening date hasn’t been announced. (Columbia Business Report)

• Tickets for the Columbia Fireflies’ home games go on sale this Thursday at 10 a.m. You can earn rewards and save money for buying tickets prior to the day of the game. Ticket prices start as low as $5 per game. Learn more here.
• In case you missed it — the USC baseball team hit a home run over the weekend and swept UMass Lowell to start the season. The team starts 2023 with a 3-0 record. Grab tickets for today’s home game against Winthrop happening at 4 p.m. ⚾

• Lexington is using AI and Bluetooth technology for the county’s automated traffic light system. The system has been in the works for almost a decade, is stationed at all major intersections, and collects data at congested areas to continuously adjust stoplight timing. 🚦 (The Post and Courier)

• Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) announced that American Airlines would be starting a new nonstop route from Columbia to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) beginning July 6. Book a flight on this nonstop route here. ✈️

• Plan for the In Full Effect: A Celebration of South Carolina Hip-Hop event happening this Saturday, Feb. 25 from 1-5 p.m. that honors + celebrates 50 years of hip-hop in SC. The event will take place at the SC State Museum in partnership with FatRat Da Czar. Event performances and activities are free to the public.

• Tomorrow is National Margarita Day. Celebrate with Simple Time Mixers by sipping on the Margarita Bundle or the Margarita Madness 3-Pack. Will that be salt or sugar on the rim? 🍹

• Could your nonprofit use help completing a project this spring? Let United Way of the Midlands help you check it off your list. The organization is accepting service project proposals now through Wednesday, March 1. Local volunteers will help fulfill your project needs during Volunteer Week (April 17-22). 🤝 *

• New office, same knowledgeable providers. The Palmetto Primary Care Physicians Forest Acres office has moved across the street (3710 Landmark Dr., Ste. 408) where you can still make an appointment with Dr. Zack White or Shakilya Khalif, FNP. Have a question or want to schedule an appointment? Call (803) 799-1922. 🩺 *

• Grammy-winning country music star and SC native Darius Rucker will be headlining Upcountry Fiber’s charity concert, Southern Fried Circuit, on Friday, July 28 at the Anderson Civic Center (3027 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd., Anderson). Profits will go to the Upcountry Fiber Foundation to support local charities in Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, and Spartanburg counties. Grab tickets. *

• Every dinner’s a party when the food tastes good. Home Chef’s meal kit delivery service takes the stress out of mealtimes with fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipe cards, delivered right to your door. Order your first box — for 75% off.*