No. 1 in our hearts | See how A’ja Wilson impacts her community both on and off the court, supporting dyslexia awareness and showcasing her roots in Columbia through charitable acts.
Popping Italian bottles | Take a look inside Alimentari Don Luigi in the Mills District — a new Italian market and bottle shop from Bar Gran Sasso co-owners Joe Cardinale + former Terra chef, Joby Wetzel.
Compliments to the chef | Chef Alex Strickland of The Dragon Room, also the lead singer of metal band Abacus, discusses his favorite dishes, local foodie spots, and balancing his culinary and musical creativity.
City Editor Sam’s Top Stories
“Do a kickflip!” | Discover how community collaboration and perseverance transformed a dream into Irmo’s newest recreational hotspot; Friarsgate Skatepark, nestled inside of Rawls Creek Park.
Find your third place | Third places are public, informal gathering spaces that you frequent in your community. We’re here to give you recommendations and help you find your third place around Columbia.
Swimming with sharks | Entrepreneurs come from everywhere, including The Midlands. Read about three products that have been featured on or inspired by the show “Shark Tank.”
Asked
Asked
What do you want us to cover in 2025?
Now that you’ve read through a few of our favorite stories from this year, we want to know what you want to read about in 2025.
The holidays are magical, but let’s face it — they can alsobe a headache. Migraine attacks affect approx. 1 in 6 households and can be debilitating. Discover how chronic migraines are triggered and how they can be treated to keep the festivities fun.*
Try This
Take the hassle out of New Year’s Eve hosting by wowing your guests with charcuterie and cheese boards — that you don’t have to make yourself. Lowes Foods has lots of options, plus, they only need one day’s notice to prepare your showstopper. Browse + order boards.*
City Guide
City Guide
❄️ What winter has in store for Cola
Does anyone remember the snow day on January 21, 2022? | Photo by COLAtoday team
Did you know? 2024 was the hottest year on record so far — and the first year to have an average global temperature of more than 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit above preindustrial levels. See what the rest of the year (and the beginning of 2025) has in store.
Thanks to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center, we know what temperatures and precipitation trends to expect in our city for the rest of December, January, and February. While exact weather conditions typically can’t be predicted more than a week in advance, here’s a seasonal outlook to help you prepare for what winter will bring.
Reminder: The first day of winter was on Saturday, Dec. 21.
It looks like the next three month’s temperatures will be “likely above” normal. | Photo from the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center.
🌡️ Temperature
Think warm. This winter, Cola has a 50-60% chance of temperatures being likely above normal — and for Cola — that means 34 to 36 degrees for the lows and 55 to 59.5 degrees for the highs.
A one-minute bond repair hair mask from OGX. With a 4.7-star rating, it deeply nourishes hair to visibly reduce signs of damage for strong, smooth, shiny hair.
I wanted to share a little recap of some of our favorite stories from this year, and because we genuinely love our jobs, I’m giving you two bonus stories to reminisce on.
David’s pick: A night at the Opera | Hey, Cola — David here. I recently visited the Newberry Opera House, a treasure of a venue located halfway between Columbia and Greenville. Built in 1881, the 400-seat Opera House was saved from the wrecking ball and revived in the late 1990s. Read more about my experience.
Sam’s pick: Not all heroes wear capes | Go behind the scenes of the making of “Hero’"— a local film shot around Columbia — and explore its local connections to USC that premiered at The Nick.
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