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Businesses and Residents Seek Solutions to Judicial Center Parking Issues

Issue #762

July 01, 2026

In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

🌤 Columbia’s Thursday Weather - Afternoon showers / thunderstorms w/ high of 96, low of 72

📰 Businesses and Residents Seek Solutions to Judicial Center Parking Issues

🩸 Area Hospitals Need Blood Donors Ahead of July 4 Holiday, $40 Gift Cards Available

🎸 Think Your Band Has What it Takes? Columbia's Battle of the Bands Is Now Open

🗓 List of Upcoming Events

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

🇺🇸 Got 4th of July Plans? Check out Our Guide Here! 👈

🗓 Know of Some Local Events Not Listed? Send us the Details!

Businesses and Residents Seek Solutions to Judicial Center Parking Issues

A parking problem around the Maury County Judicial Center is getting some regional attention after local business owners reached out for help.

After hearing from Daniel Lilley at The Ridge Butcher Shop and Fresh Market, Hannah McDonald traveled to Columbia for her "Hannah Can Help" segment with NewsChannel 5 Nashville to take a closer look at the growing parking concerns surrounding the courthouse.

Lilley told the station that overflow parking from the Judicial Center has increasingly spilled into neighboring businesses and residential streets. He said he has contacted more than 20 officials seeking help or possible solutions but had not received a response.

The issue has also affected nearby residents and courthouse visitors, with reports of blocked mailboxes, vehicles parked in restricted areas and limited parking availability during busy court days.

County officials have previously stated that the Judicial Center includes more parking spaces than required, but some business owners and residents believe demand has outgrown the available public parking options.

Whether the attention generated by the segment leads to changes remains to be seen, but the report has brought additional visibility to an issue that nearby businesses and neighbors say has been building for months.

You can watch Hannah McDonald's report above and read the full story here.

Area Hospitals Need Blood Donors Ahead of July 4 Holiday, $40 Gift Cards Available

Local hospitals are using blood faster than donations are coming in. That’s why Blood Assurance is offering $40 e-gift cards to all donors who give between June 29 and July 7.

The call for donors comes as the July Fourth holiday approaches, a time when hospitals must be ready for trauma patients while blood donations are often slow because of travel, vacations and holiday plans.

Blood Assurance needs donors of all blood types. The nonprofit has had several recent days with less than a one-day supply of blood, platelets and plasma. A two- to three-day supply is needed to more comfortably meet the needs of local hospitals and patients. Blood Assurance is the primary supplier for most of the hospitals in Middle Tennessee, so donations help local patients.

Donors will be able to choose their e-gift card from a list of participating retailers, including gas stations and grocery stores.

Eligible type O donors can earn even more through Blood Assurance’s Hero Club, including a $50 gift card for double red cell donations. That means O donors could receive up to $90 for one double red cell donation during the June 29-July 7 promotion.

O-negative blood can be used for emergency transfusions when there is no time to determine a patient’s blood type, and O-positive blood is the most common blood type and is heavily used by hospitals. Donors must sign up for the Hero Club here.

After July 7, donors will receive a $25 e-gift card for donating.

Donors can schedule an appointment at bloodassurance.org, call 800-962-0628, or text BAGIVE to 999777.

Think Your Band Has What It Takes? Columbia's Battle of the Bands Is Now Open

Think your band has what it takes?

Columbia Parks & Recreation and Columbia Main Street have partnered together for a new summer program: Columbia Battle of the Bands

The top 5 bands win a FREE professionally produced music video and the winning band will perform live at the Fruit Teaser event by Columbia Main Street on September 12th.

How to enter:

Whether you're a garage band, seasoned performers, or just ready for your big break, we want to hear you! Ready to rock? Gather your band, hit record, and show us what you've got!

My Patriot Supply Independence Day Sale

Upcoming Local Events

🗓 Have an event to add? Send us the Details!

Thursday, July 2nd

Friday, July 3rd

Saturday, July 4th

Sunday, July 5th

🇺🇸 Check out our 4th of July Guide! 🇺🇸 

👇 Click the Links to Learn About our Local Business Sponsors! 👇

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

Thursday, July 2
Todd Ciprian - Tito’s, 6-9 PM

Friday, July 3
TBA - The Spot: Burgers & Beer, 5-8 PM
Tommy Wheatley - Buck & Board, 6-8 PM
First Fridays with The Deltaz - Puckett’s, 6:30-8 PM
Beatles4Sale - McCreary’s Irish Pub & Eatery, 7-9 PM
First Friday Block Party - Yonder Grove - Grinder’s Switch, 7-9 PM
Stars, Stripes & Southern Songs - The Mulehouse, 7-10:30 PM
MFT - Fozzy’s Bar & Grill, 8-11 PM
Live on the Square - James Carothers - Puckett’s, 8:30-10 PM

Saturday, July 4
The Vineyard Sessions - Natchez Hills Vineyard, 12-6 PM
Grasskickers - Amber Falls Winery & Cellars, 3-7 PM

Sunday, July 5
Joey Sykes - Amber Falls Winery & Cellars, 1-5 PM
Tommy Wheatley - Fozzy’s Bar & Grill, 2-5 PM

Want to get your business in What’s Up Columbia? Let’s talk