Plus, Forest Acres will see an influx of new eateries in 2024.
 
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58º | Sunny | 0% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:15 a.m. | Sunset 5:15 p.m.
 

Travel and Outdoors

One less thing to stress about this holiday season? Booking (and flying) out of CAE
Presented by a COLAtoday Partner
CAE airport's Christmas display with a trunk of toys and a decorated tree.
Offering over 25 nonstop flights to 10 major airports in 9 cities, CAE can get you almost anywhere in the world with one stop. | Photo via @flycae
You eat local, buy local, and shop local — why not fly local, too?

From pre-booking your parking to double-checking TSA guidelines, CAE wants to make sure you think about holiday travel like Cindy Lou Hoo thinks of the Grinch, not the other way around. We’re sharing stress-reducing travel tips + tricks to ensure your season is filled with holiday cheer instead of holiday fear.

Did you know you can book your airline flights, hotels + rental cars for your next trip directly from the CAE website? Last month, the team at CAE added a new search feature on their homepage that allows locals looking to travel an easy way to book, and then fly, local (we love a one-stop shop).

Flying locally benefits not only the airport, but the entire Midlands community. The more that locals utilize CAE, the more air travel opportunities (think: airlines and nonstop destinations) will be available to enjoy.

Navigating the airport now through the New Year? Bookmark this page and shop for holiday flight deals.
Sleigh your holiday travels with CAE
Asked

What new amenity would you most like to see added at CAE?
A. Business lounge
B. Pet relief area
C. Yoga studio
D. Reserved time for airport screening
E. Food delivery on the concourse
F. Visitor day pass (read: access to the airside without needing a boarding pass)
Let the votes fly
City of West Columbia
 
Events
Wednesday, Dec. 6
  • “Joyous Creatures” Opening Reception | Wednesday, Dec. 6 | 5-7:30 p.m. | Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene St., Columbia | Free | View the Koger Center’s new exhibition at its upstairs gallery featuring wildly creative artwork by Cola resident Marius Valdes.
  • Gamecocks Women’s Basketball vs. Morgan State Bears | Wednesday, Dec. 6 | 7 p.m. | Colonial Life Arena, 801 Lincoln St., Columbia | $25-$35 | Watch the Gamecocks as they look to stay undefeated and No. 1 in the rankings.
Thursday, Dec. 7
  • First Thursday on Main Street | Thursday, Dec. 7 | 6 p.m. | Main Street, Columbia | Free | On the first Thursday of each month, businesses in downtown Columbia participate in this event by keeping their doors open late, offering a mix of specials, events, entertainment, and more.
  • Paisley and the Birdwalkers | Thursday, Dec. 7 | 6:30-11 p.m. | New Brookland Tavern, 122 State St., West Columbia | $10 | Local rock act Paisley and the Birdwalkers are joined by Charleston indie band The Simplicity.
Friday, Dec. 8
Saturday, Dec. 9
  • Accessibility Morning at the SC State Museum | Saturday, Dec. 9 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais St., Columbia | Free | Each month the museum hosts a special morning designed for families of children, teenagers, young adults, and adults who would benefit from a quieter, sensory-friendly, and disability-adapted experience.*
  • Candlelight Tours at the Robert Mills House and Hampton-Preston Mansion | Saturday, Dec. 9 | 6-9 p.m. | Robert Mills House, 1616 Blanding St., Columbia | $20 | Tickets include entry to both house museums and our Holiday Vendor’s Market, as well as a children’s activity area with free, takeaway crafts for your tree and home.
Sunday, Dec. 10
  • 1989 Taylor’s Version Drag Brunch | Sunday, Dec. 10 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | The Hideout in WeCo, 118 State St., West Columbia | $10 | Join Columbia Kings n’ Things for a drag tribute to 1989 Taylor’s Version.
Thursday, Dec. 14
  • Women in Philanthropy’s Leadership Breakfast | Thursday, Dec. 14 | 7:30-9 a.m. | The Palmetto Club, 1231 Sumter St., Columbia | $30-$40 | Enjoy breakfast at The Palmetto Club with Women in Philanthropy, celebrate women leading the way, and hear from keynote speaker, Judge J. Michelle Childs.*
Dozens of more local events
Click here to have your event featured.
Central Carolina Community Foundation
 
Shop

3 holiday gift picks for men (all 50% off)
Harlestons image
has extended their 50% offer exclusively for our readers. | Photo by Harleston
Harlestons has extended its 50% off sale just for our readers: Use the auto-applied code 6AM50 for 50% off everything online until Friday, Dec. 8 at midnight.

New to the high-quality menswear brand? Here are our top three gift picks:
  1. Sport Hoodie: This top-seller is almost sold out.
  2. The Anson performance polo: It’s rated five stars by 99% of customers.
  3. The Sully quarter zip: Many of these colors match up with The Anson colors for a coordinated, layered look.
Save 50% on these gifts with code 6AM50
News Notes
Coming Soon
  • Forest Acres will see an influx of new eateries in 2024. Trenholm Plaza will welcome Chicken Salad Chick in the former BLD Diner space + an Asian Fusion restaurant, CO, in the former Rosso location. The Lowe’s Foods area will see the addition of Takosushi, Vicious Biscuit, and Slim Chickens as well. (WLTX)
Seasonal
  • The Greater Cayce West Columbia Chamber of Commerce will host the Parade Day and Holiday Parade of Lights on Saturday, Dec. 9. From 12 to 4 p.m., enjoy family activities + a hop-on and hop-off shuttle. The Holiday Parade of Lights will begin at 5:30 p.m. and feature illuminated floats.
Transit
  • No more parking apps. Introducing, Passport’s new Text to Pay feature. After parking, simply text “Park” to 30843 to start your parking session and provide details like duration and vehicle type. Payment will be confirmed and you’ll be able to extend your time remotely.
Sports
  • USC’s Xavier Legette + Debo Williams earned spots on the 2023 All-SEC football teams and received team accolades at the Senior Banquet. Xavier racked up 1,255 receiving yards, the second-highest single-season mark in school history, while Debo recorded 113 tackles, ranking third in the SEC. (Gamecocks Online)
Edu
  • Midlands Technical College is launching a new campus in Lexington, called North Lake Community Learning Center where Lexington Middle School used to be. Classes will begin in January and center around general education + workforce training. (The Post and Courier)
Community
  • St. Pat’s in Five Points released its vendor application for those who want to be included in next year’s parade, taking place on Saturday, March 16. Limited spots are available and the application submission deadline is Friday, Feb. 23.
Health
  • Studies show that the average American gains seven pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. The good news? It is possible to maintain your weight and still have fun. These tips can help.*
Shop
  • Health.com called this vibrator the “Rolls Royce Of Sex Toys” — and it’s also clinically proven to improve arousal and alleviate dryness. Get it for 30% off ahead of the holidays.*
Finance
  • There’s cash back, and then there’s unlimited 1.5% cash back. This card has that, plus a $200 bonus and 0% intro APR until 2025. (Oh, and did we mention the annual fee? No — because there isn’t one.) Learn more + apply.*
Try This
 
Biz

📈 Meet some of SC’s business powerhouses

Meet the inaugural class of South Carolina’s 50 Most Influential business leaders
SC State House
SC State House | Photo via @the_wandering_jones
Meet the inaugural class of South Carolina’s 50 Most Influential business leaders, a few of which are from Columbia. These influential leaders collectively contribute to South Carolina’s economic success, showcasing diverse expertise and commitment to the state’s growth.

Get to know a few of Cola’s honorees who help shape SC’s economic landscape:

Bill Ellen | President and CEO, Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism / Experience Columbia SC

Jeff Ruble | Director of Economic Development, Richland County Economic Development

Lou Kennedy | President, CEO, and Owner, Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corp.

Mark O’Halla | President & CEO, Prisma Health

Michael Amiridis | President, University of South Carolina

Mike Gula | President/CEO, Columbia Metropolitan Airport

Roslyn Clark Artis | President, Benedict College

Tod Augsburger | President and CEO, Lexington Medical Center
Other SC honorees
The Buy

The Buy 12.06.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
Anything on sale for Six & Main’s Deal of the Day. Each day, unlock a new deal on a specialty, locally-made item. Today’s deal? Get 20% off our earring collection.
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The Wrap
 
Samantha Robertson in a white shirt and grey vest

Today’s edition by:
Sam
From the editor
Do you have a Swiftie in your life and you’re looking for a holiday gift? Scratch N’ Spin (513 12th St., West Columbia) posted on its social media that it has a few copies of Taylor Swift’s ‘Lover’ album back in stock on vinyl for less than $40.
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