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71º Sunny | 2% chance of rain | Sunrise 6:50 a.m. | Sunset 7:56 p.m.

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Navigate Cola like a boss

Soda Citizen 101: our guide to becoming a Columbia resident

We don’t know about you, but we love the Columbia skyline. | Photo by COLAtoday team

Picture this: You just moved to Columbia, SC and you need some help with the practicalities of life (we can’t just walk the riverwalk all day). That’s where we come in. Keep reading for Soda Citizen 101, our guide to all things Columbia citizenship.

Register your classic car at the SCDMV. | Photo by COLAtoday

The essentials

Voter registration

Make sure you’re eligible and registered to vote, find your polling location, and preview upcoming election sample ballots here.

Driver’s licenses and vehicle registration

New residents in need of a South Carolina driver’s license will need to provide proof of legal status, a Social Security document, and two documents confirming your residential address.

Find a DMV near you to obtain a State driver’s license. Registration for your vehicle is conducted on a walk-in basis.

Healthcare

Establishing yourself with a primary care provider is one of those things you’ll be glad you did when you need one. Reach out to the professionals at Lexington Medical Center or Prisma Health to name a few. Pro tip: Websites like DocSpot filter physicians by location, patient reviews, insurance, language, and more.

Dreher High School is ranked No. 7 in SC’s high schools. | Photo via Dreher High School

Educational needs

School registration

For information on Cola’s public and private schools, check out our Columbia area schools list.

Library card registration

If you think libraries are only for renting the occasional book, think again. Register for a library card at your nearest Richland Library branch. Nonresident cards can be purchased for $65 per year.

Home necessities

Recycling

Thanks for thinking green. For everything you need to know about recycling in Columbia, from where to place your bin to pickup times and accepted materials, check out this guide.

Is there something you’re still left wondering about to get you properly established in Cola? Ask us your question and we’ll do our best to answer it for you, like a good neighbor.

Pro tips to becoming a Soda Citizen

Asked

Approximately what percentage of people fail their drivers’ exam on the first attempt?

A. 16%
B. 32%
C. 44%
D. 52%

Take a guess

Events

Monday, April 17

The After Ride With Taylor Ingle | Monday, Apr. 17, Friday, Apr. 21, Saturday, Apr. 22 | Times vary | Carolina Adventure World, 1515 Arrowhead Rd., Winnsboro | Prices vary | Carolina Adventure World offers a variety of passes to accommodate visitors who want to ride for the day.
Spring Fair Food Drive-Through | Monday, April 17-Saturday, April 22 | Times vary | South Carolina State Fairgrounds, Gate 6, 1200 Rosewood Dr., Columbia | Price of purchase | The week-long food event, featuring a wide variety of traditional fair food and drinks, will launch with a special Walk-In Kickoff Day on Saturday, April 15, and culminate with Movie Nights under the stars.

Tuesday, April 18

Gamecock Baseball vs. Charleston Southern University Buccaneers Baseball | Tuesday, Apr. 18 | 7 p.m. | Founders Park, 431 Williams St., Columbia | $12-$15 | Root, root, root for the home team as the Gamecocks take on Charleston Southern in this midweek matchup.

Wednesday, April 19

The Toasters | Wednesday, Apr. 19 | 6:30-11 p.m. | New Brookland Tavern, 122 State St. West Columbia | $15 | Come hear one of the quintessential New York City ska bands on their tour through Cola.

Thursday, April 20

Camden Burials | Thursday, Apr. 20-Saturday, Apr. 22 | Times vary | Historic Camden Campus, 222 Broad St., Camden | Free | This event honors some of America’s first veterans, fourteen soldiers who lost their lives at the August 1780 battle of Camden are reinterred on the battlefield.

Thursday, April 20

Baker & Baker presents An Immersive Opera from Nathan Felix | Thursday, Apr. 20 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St, Columbia | Free | Immerse yourself in this unique, one-time-only operatic experience amidst the art at the CMA.*

Calendar events here

Click here to have your event featured.

Shop

Business

Here’s where to find unique, local gifts

Presented by a COLAtoday Partner

The front of the Mast General Store with a busy Main St. in the background.

Spend the day shopping in the Main Street District. | Photo by the COLAtoday team

Get in, Cola — we’re going shopping. Whether you’re looking for a gift for Mother’s Day, a birthday, upcoming anniversary, or “just because,” you can snag one-of-a-kind gifts from the Main Street District while supporting local businesses (and you know how much we love supporting local).

Here are some of our favorite finds:

Seasonal clothing, sporting essentials + more at Mast General Store
A little bit of everything and gifts galore at Uptown on Main
Game gear, grad gifts, and fashions for the whole family at Miss Cocky
Floral arrangements from Something Special Florist & Gifts (so you can rose to the occasion)

Bonus: Once you’re done shopping, you can grab a bite to eat at one of the many dining options on Main Street.*

Plan your shopping trip

News Notes

Real Estate

Be the broker — the five-story, 91,000-sqft building located at 1801 Assembly St. and overlooks Finlay Park — is up for sale. Plans have been approved to convert the office building into new apartments or a hotel. Let us know what you would like to see there.

Cause

The South Carolina Wildlife Federation is hosting Forks, Knives, and Spoonbills — a five-course conservation dinner inspired by imperiled bird species — at Terra on Thursday, April 20 from 6-9 p.m. SCWF Habitat Education Manager Jay Keck will share information on conservation efforts needed to help featured species thrive. Registration is $120.

Traffic

Traffic has shifted to Garners Ferry Road ahead of southbound bridge work on I-77 from mile markers five to zero. Weather permitting, construction is expected to take nine days and be completed by April 23. (WLTX)

Concert

Local R&B artist TiffanyJ is recording a live album in the SCETV studio on Saturday, May 27, thanks to a grant from the South Carolina Arts Commission. Tickets are available now for the “Solbird Sessions Live” recording that also features Boogie Brown + Jay D. Jones and is hosted by Tre’ Taylor.

Try This

The weekend will be here before we know it, Cola — and that means brunch. Enter: Boku Kitchen & Saloon, serving up tasty cocktails + delish dishes featuring a live DJ every weekend. Check out this recap of our brunch experience.*

Featured Deal

Hawthorne Pharmacy is giving away two General Admission tickets to Columbia Food and Wine Festival’s sold-out Grand Tasting on Sunday, April 23. To enter, check out the Instagram post now through Wednesday, April 19 at noon.*

Drink

Ditch the hangover without having to ditch your favorite cocktail with Ritual Zero Proof Spirits. The award-winning brand makes non-alcoholic rum, tequila, gin, and whiskey so you can enjoy the ritual of having a drink without feeling icky the following day. Psst — check out Ritual’s collection of cocktail recipes.

Finance

Now may be a good time to transfer your balance. This leading balance transfer card offers 0% intro APR for 21 months and no annual fee. Eliminating interest payments? A no-brainer.*

Open

Take a look around

Inside Knowledge Perk in the W.B. Smith Whaley House

Construction on the historic W. B. Smith Whaley House was completed in February 2023. | Photo by Mashburn Construction

Take a quick tour of the new Knowledge Perk Coffee with us, located at the corner of Gervais and Pickens Streets in the recently renovated historic W.B. Smith Whaley house.

Cola’s newest coffee shop is celebrating its grand opening today at 11 a.m. with an official ribbon cutting. Pro tip: Get there early — the first 100 customers will receive gift cards.

Plus, we hear there are more art and a mural to come.

The Wrap

David Stringer wearing a dark button-down shirt

Today’s edition by:
David

From the editor

We’ve heard some of you say that you wouldn’t be able to sleep at the W.B. Smith Whaley house, given the home’s history, but we found an open door while browsing the renovations and took a quick look at the downstairs studio apartment. It had its own side entrance and couldn’t be more convenient to USC’s campus. Plus, the best part of waking up would be the smell of coffee in a Knowledge Perk cup.

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