In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

📆 List of Upcoming Events

🌥 Columbia Weather - Partly cloudy with a high of 47, Hard Freeze Tonight! 🥶

📰 Downtown Columbia Secures $50,000 Grant for Pedestrian Crosswalk Upgrades

🥶 Chilly Start to Spring: Tennessee Braces for Frigid Temps on Tuesday Morning

🩸Blood Drive at Columbia Central High School

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

Upcoming Local Events

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

March 19th

• Upstairs Downtown Tour - 5:00 - 7:30 PM

March 20th

• Children’s Treasure 4-Day Pop Up Sale Begins (3/20-3/23)

• Innovation Lives Here: A Thought Leader Speaker Series for Middle TN - 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

• Home School Soap Making Class - 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

March 21st

• Muletown in the Round Songwriter Series & TV Taping - 7:00 PM

• Timber Tots: Deep in the Woods at Maury County Park - 10:00 AM

March 22nd

• Acoustic Live w/ Krystal King at Grinder’s Switch - 6:00 - 8:00 PM

March 23rd

• Easter at the Park (Maury County Park) - 11:00 AM

• Morse Code Discovery Class at Hidden Bee Farm - 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM

• Citywide Litter Clean-Up Day 

March 26th

• Film Screening of Common Ground - 7:00 PM

• Blood Drive at Columbia High School - 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

March 30th

• Duck River Trail Run 2024 - 8:00 AM

• Victoria Jackson Comedy Night at The Mulehouse - 8:00 PM

Downtown Columbia Secures $50,000 Grant for Pedestrian Crosswalk Upgrades

Downtown Columbia is set for further enhancements with a $50,000 grant allocated to upgrade three pedestrian crosswalks around the square.

During its regular meeting on Thursday, the city council approved the acceptance of the grant, generously funded by General Motors. The grant aims to support downtown beautification efforts and implement traffic-calming measures.

The planned improvements include the installation of curb extensions at the crosswalks, along with landscaping upgrades and the addition of an information kiosk.

Kellye Murphy, Director of Columbia Tourism and Marketing, explained that the curb extensions would expand into the white-striped no parking area, providing pedestrians with better visibility while crossing the street. Additionally, it serves as a traffic-calming measure for vehicles passing through the square.

The project is a collaborative effort with GM, facilitated through the National Main Street Center.

This initiative follows a series of recent downtown enhancements, including the renovation of historic building facades and the ongoing upgrades to the North Main Street parking garage.

Columbia Main Street Director Kelli Johnson expressed excitement over Columbia being the only community in Tennessee selected to receive the grant. She emphasized the transformative effect it would have on downtown, aligning with ongoing revitalization efforts.

Murphy acknowledged the swift progress of the project, attributing it to leveraging the city's Public Works Department, which would streamline implementation and reduce costs.

Chilly Start to Spring: Tennessee Braces for Frigid Temps on Tuesday Morning

Don’t put away your warm coats just yet!

As Tennessee welcomes the first day of spring on Tuesday, residents are bracing for chilly temperatures across the state. With many areas expected to dip below freezing, temperatures are forecasted to plunge below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, bringing the possibility of frost. Despite the cold start, warmer spring weather is anticipated later in the week.

If you're eager to plant your spring garden seedlings, it's best to wait a little longer.

Here's a guide to freezing temperatures and their impact on plants:

• Light freeze: 29° to 32°F — tender plants may be killed.

• Moderate freeze: 25° to 28°F — poses widespread damage to most vegetation.

• Severe freeze: 24°F and colder — can cause heavy damage to garden plants.

Blood Drive at Columbia Central High School

Schedule your donation here.