01.09.2024

SUBSCRIBE | REFER

Today’s Forecast

65º | Severe storms | 90% chance of rain
Sunrise 7:30 a.m. | Sunset 5:32 p.m.

🗣️ How to effectively use your voice

Columbia residents disagree on PickleGarden on the River plans

View of the 4.75-acre riverfront property set to open before the end of the year. | Photo provided by Colliers | South Carolina

Last week, we received a press release from Colliers | South Carolina about the new PickleGarden on the River development and decided to write an article about it, showcasing renderings, key features of the development, sharing who is involved in the project, and more.

Along with the article, we decided to post about it on Instagram and Facebook. The posts spurred thousands of “likes,” thoughts, and feelings. We also garnered feedback about the development in our newsletter, asking our readers to share their thoughts on a rating scale and an open-ended survey.

We love being a hub of conversation — allowing folks to respectfully share their thoughts, whether in favor or opposition to news happening around Columbia. So today, we wanted to share the feedback we received about the project.

Survey results of PickleGarden on River — Breaking down your thoughts on the PickleGarden on the River development. | Graphic via Typeform from COLAtoday survey.

Survey says...

In last week’s newsletter, City Editor Sam asked readers to share their thoughts about the project in a survey. Out of 22 responses, 21 people answered the question: “On a scale of 0 to 10, how happy are you about the new PickleGarden on the River development announcement?” (0 meaning you hate it. 10; you love it.)

Key findings:

52.5% of the 21 respondents clicked on 0-4
38.0% of the 21 respondents clicked on 6-10
9.5% of the 21 respondents clicked on 5

Our social media posts about the development generated significant engagement, with over 330 reactions, 230 comments, and 200 shares on Facebook and more than 675 comments, 2,000 likes, 2,479 shares, and 105 saves on Instagram. We invite you to browse through these comments to get a sense of the opinions and perspectives shared by our audience.

Soon after the post on social media, a link to an “Urge Columbia Representatives to Halt Construction of “Picklegarden” Structure” petition began floating around, created by Jordan Owens. So far, the petition has garnered close to 4,000 signatures.

How to use your local voice

Though you are more than welcome to always share your thoughts with us via our comments section or inbox about any local news, the most we can do is encourage you to share those same thoughts in a way that brings about the changes you want to see in our city, whether you have a good idea for development or you’re in opposition to one.

Click the button below to see more reader feedback, learn how to get involved in local gov. decisions, and see two ways you can effectively use your voice as a citizen.

Get plugged in

Events

Wednesday, Jan. 3

Whiskey Wednesday | Wednesday, Jan. 10 | Times vary | Boku Kitchen + Saloon, 916 Gervais St., Columbia | Every Wednesday Boku Kitchen + Saloon offers their large selection of whiskey 1/2 off.

Tuesday, Jan. 9

Sound Bath Meditation at Steel Hands Brewing | Tuesday, Jan. 9 | 6-6:45 p.m. | Steel Hands Brewing, 2350 Foreman St., Cayce | $20-$50 | Enjoy a 45-minute sound bath meditation inside Steel Hands Brewing’s steel shed benefiting “Rosewood Community Orchard.”

Wednesday, Jan. 10

The Art of Influence: Blade Runner | Wednesday, Jan. 10 | 6:30-9 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St., Columbia | $12-$15 | CMA is teaming up with the Nickelodeon Theater for a two-part film series exploring creative connections behind some of McQueen’s most iconic looks on the runway.

Thursday, Jan. 11

Birdwatching in the Gardens | Thursday, Jan. 11 | 8-10 a.m. | Hampton-Preston Garden, 1615 Blanding St., Columbia | Free | Grab your binoculars to join Historic Columbia and local birder John Tjaarda for a free, guided bird walk around the Hampton-Preston Gardens to learn about local birds.
Planning Commission (PC) | Thursday, Jan. 11 | Times vary | City Hall, 1737 Main St., Columbia | Free | Visit the Planning Commission website page for agendas, approved minutes, a printable calendar, and more.

Friday, Jan. 12

Columbia Home Building & Remodeling Expo | Friday, Jan. 12-Sunday, Jan. 14 | Columbia Convention Center, 1101 Lincoln St., Columbia | $3 | Professionals will be on-hand to share their valuable knowledge to bring your ideas to life or inspire you with new ones.

Saturday, Jan. 13

Beethoven & Blue Jeans | Saturday, Jan. 13 | 7:30 p.m. | Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene St., Columbia | Guest pianist Andrew Armstrong joins the SC Phil to perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5.

Thursday, January 25

Young Leaders Society Oyster Roast | Thursday, Jan. 25 | 6-9 p.m. | City Market, 705 Gervais St, Columbia | $25.00 - $40.00 | The YLS Oyster Roast is the Young Leaders Society’s annual event to kick off the beginning of the new year with ways to give back and have a good time with live music, a silent auction + tasty eats.*

Calendar events here

Click here to have your event featured.

Travel

Finance

3 tips for planning the vacation of your dreams

Presented by a COLAtoday Partner

Let’s jet, COLA — here’s how to start planning your 2024 getaway. | Photo provided by AllSouth Federal Credit Union

Dreaming of your next getaway? Whether you want to travel across the globe or stay in the states, you can turn those dreams into reality with the right plan (and budget).

Here are three vacation planning tips from the experts at AllSouth Federal Credit Union.

Research the details of your destination

Rev up your search engines, COLA. In your initial search it’s best to find out:

How much the trip will cost
The best time of year to travel to your destination
How long you will be traveling

Time to build your budget

After your initial research, the next step is budgeting. Here are a few costs to factor in:

Airfare
Lodging
Transportation
Dining and activities
And more

Pro tip: This Travel Budget Planner from AllSouth makes budgeting a breeze.

Start saving

Once you have your costs mapped out, it’s time to start saving. You can do this by setting up a separate account to save or consider opening a special travel credit card so you can use the money you’ve been saving for your trip to pay off the balance each month.

More trip planning tips this way

News Notes

Closed

After nearly 50 years, Columbia’s Yamato Japanese steakhouse at 360 Columbiana Dr. in Harbison has permanently closed. The location in Myrtle Beach remains open. (The State)

Holiday

Commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the Columbia Museum of Art on Monday, Jan. 15, from 12 to 5 p.m. Enjoy free admission with special programming, including FAAAC’s “A Storytelling Celebration” and line dancing on Boyd Plaza hosted by Franklin Jones.

Closed

Henry’s of Cayce is set to close by the end of January due to increased liquor liability insurance costs. The establishment expressed gratitude to its dedicated employees, loyal patrons, and the City of Cayce for the support over the seven years of operation. (WLTX)

Coming Soon

A vacant former auto shop, located at 2847 Commerce Dr. (near Owens Field) Park, is being transformed into Gemini Arts, an artist gathering space. The artists’ collective, supported by a $50,000 grant from the City of Columbia, will offer private studios, a ceramic workshop, and flexible-use space for up to 25 artists. (The State)

Watch

Agent Sarah Bennet from Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Medley was featured on HGTV’s House Hunters, helping clients find their forever home. Take a peek at her episode.

Shop

The Devine District is hosting a sidewalk sale on Friday, Feb. 2 + Saturday, Feb. 3. Locals can expect deals from various merchants, enjoying discounts on fashion and home decor. More details on specific offerings will follow.

Fun Fact

Did you know 52,000 of you welcome us into your inbox every morning? We’re asking you to take two minutes to tell us more about yourself so we can continue to write about things you find interesting. One lucky COLA survey participant will win $500. Take the survey.

Weather

⛈️ Severe weather alert

Severe weather alert: Tuesday storms pose risks for Columbia

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s prediction for today’s weather outlook. | Map from SPC.NOAA.Gov.

SC is preparing for some severe weather today, with storms bringing the threat of heavy rainfall and damaging winds.

The National Weather Service reported a wind advisory that is in effect from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., cautioning winds at 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. Wind advisories highlight the possibility of power outages and fallen tree limbs.

The storms are expected to move through the area quickly, and locals are encouraged to secure outdoor items, exercise caution, and stay informed.

Severe weather timeline

Tuesday morning: Non-threatening rain.
Tuesday early afternoon: Swift development of storms with the potential for severe weather.
Tuesday late afternoon: Severe weather threat continues across the state, but should conclude in the western part of the state.
Tuesday evening: Thunderstorm activity will begin to subside in the Midlands, but windy conditions may persist.

In light of severe weather, several midlands schools are switching to e-learning days today due to weather concerns.

The Buy

The Buy 1.09.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

A ring light you can clip right on your laptop or monitor — great for virtual meetings, live streaming, and video calls with family.

Share COLAtoday

Share the good news. Get rewarded.

Have someone who needs to stay in the know? Get amazing rewards for every new subscriber you bring by sharing your unique referral link (below).

Facebook

Twitter

{{profile.vars.rh_totref_10}} friends are looped into all things local because of you.

Claim your rewards

The Wrap

Samantha Robertson in a white shirt and grey vest

Today’s edition by:
Sam

From the editor

I hope everyone stays safe on the roads today as we begin to experience stormy weather. If you’re looking for a resource, the South Carolina Emergency Management Division shared tips + information for severe weather.

Missed our previous newsletter?

›

Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY