In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

🗓 List of Upcoming Events

🌧 Columbia Weather - Scattered showers with a high of 71

📰 Maury County Sends Strike Team to Unicoi County to Help With Search Efforts

🤔 How Can You Help the Victims of Helene??  

📌 TONIGHT: City of Columbia Candidate Forum 

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

📣 We Want To Spotlight Your Business! Apply Here

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

Upcoming Local Events

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

Monday, September 30th

• Paw & Tie Dye at Muletown Bark Park - 4:00 - 6:00 PM

• Candidate Forum: City of Columbia - 5:00 PM

Tuesday, October 1st

• Connecting at The Factory (Business Networking) - 9:00 AM

• Brain Blast Trivia at McCreary’s Irish Pub - 7:00 - 8:00 PM

Wednesday, October 2nd

• Vet 2 Vet Meet Up at The Tilted Mule - 6:00 - 8:00 PM

• Adult Pick-Up Basketball at Armory Recreation & Fitness Center - 5:00 - 8:00 PM

Thursday, October 3rd

• Connect Spring Hill at Viking Pizza - 9:00 - 10:00 AM 

Friday, October 4th

• Downtown Columbia Walking Tour - 2:00 - 4:30 PM

• Point of Grace at The Mulehouse - 7:00 PM

***More events will be added to the calendar soon!***

Maury County Sends Strike Team to Unicoi County to Help With Search Efforts

More than 150 people remain unaccounted for in East Tennessee following the severe flooding that devastated the region. Two fatalities have been confirmed, one in Johnson County and another in Unicoi County, with additional unconfirmed reports of deaths in the hardest-hit areas.

The northeastern counties of Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Johnson, and Unicoi have all been designated for state and federal emergency assistance. The flooding caused significant damage to major roads and bridges, including a section of Interstate 40 near the Tennessee-North Carolina border that collapsed.

As recovery efforts continue, hundreds of workers and thousands of volunteers are engaged in search, rescue, and cleanup operations across the affected areas.

Maury County Fire Department posted on Sunday night that “a strike team consisting of MCFD, Columbia, Spring Hill, Mt Pleasant, and Lawrence County left at 8pm for Unicoi County to perform search efforts for over 30 unaccounted citizens.”  

Spring Hill Fire Department posted today that “last night, two of our own—Training Captain Mike Pinkerton and Captain Mike Kirkland—were deployed to East Tennessee’s Unicoi County as part of a land search and rescue team. They joined forces with members from Lawrence County Fire, Maury County Fire, and Columbia Fire & Rescue for this mission. After driving through the night, they arrived safely around 3:30 a.m. this morning. After a short nap, they were gearing up and receiving their assignments for the day. We’re proud of their dedication and commitment to helping others in need.”

How Can You Help the Victims of Helene??  

The American Red Cross is accepting donations for people affected by Hurricane Helene here.

Samaritan’s Purse is requesting donations and volunteers to support their efforts on the ground here.

Great White Express Car Wash posted that they will be collecting monetary donations for the DISASTER RELIEF FUND at Brentwood Baptist Church - every penny donated will go to relief efforts and as a business, we will match what is donated.  

Southgate Church of Christ in Columbia has a cooking team that heads to disaster areas to offer hot food to victims and first responders. If you want to help but don’t know how… this is one great way with great folks. Read below and give. A hot meal makes all the difference. (shared in a post by Maury County Mayor Sheila Butt)

“The Disaster Team is going to Newport, TN. Leaving Tuesday and planning to return Friday or Saturday. You can go to this page to give. Just earmark it for Disaster relief when it prompts you. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!”

The Horse Tack Consignment Sale happening on Oct. 4-5 will be taking donations for those who have been affected by the floods and for their animals. Donations will be taken by Schuster Show Horses who are organizing a relief effort to haul as much as they can to those in need. Items most needed are things like pet food, horse feed. First aid supplies, water, non-perishable food, shavings, plastic tote boxes and toiletries. “We will take whatever you’d like to donate.” Find more information / contact info here.

Location: Baker Building in Maury County Park
Time: Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 4 PM

Mayor Chaz Molder posted… “There will soon be plans to gather supplies with drop off locations throughout the region and those locations will be announced when they become available. 

In the meantime, be on the lookout for ways to assist, and be mindful of this extreme tragedy and the many lives that have been lost. We saw the assistance that poured in to our community in the days after the May tornadoes and now we have a chance to pay it forward.” 

👉 We will continue to monitor for other donation opportunities and share them here. If you know of any other local relief efforts that people should know about, please send them to us here!

TONIGHT: City of Columbia Candidate Forum

Maury Alliance is hosting a forum for the City of Columbia City Council Candidates at Columbia State Community College (inside the Ledbetter Auditorium) on Monday, September 30th. The City Council Candidate Forum will begin promptly at 5:00 pm.

This event is for the community - everyone is welcome to attend. RSVP HERE

Columbia City Council Candidates

- Davene A. Hardison, Ward 1
- Robert Plagement, Ward 1
- Michael Kuzawinski, Ward 1
- Charles Huffman, Ward 2
- Deborah Wiles, Ward 2
- Cheryl E Secrest, Ward 3
- Kenneth Paul Marshall, Ward 4
- Brian E McKelvy, Ward 5
- Curry Andrew Hart, Ward 5

Early voting begins on Wednesday, October 16th.

>> November 5th is Election Day

EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS:

Spring Hill Library: Oct 21-26, 8AM-4PM

Columbia Tradewinds: Oct 16-26, 8AM-4PM

Columbia Tradewinds: Oct 28-31, 8AM-7PM

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

Monday, September 30th

Rob Harris, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM

Tuesday, October 1st

Jay Hoppus, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM

Wednesday, October 2nd

Troy Castellano, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM

Thursday, October 3rd

Justen Harden, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM
Stevierock, Buck & Board, 6-9 PM
Todd Ciprian, Tito's Spring Hill, 6-9 PM

Friday, October 4th

Kamber, Buck & Board, 6-9 PM
Cochise County, Grinder's Switch, 7-9 PM
Point of Grace & Friends, The Mulehouse, 7-9 PM
The Deltaz, Puckett’s, 7:30-9 PM
5x5, Fozzy's Bar & Grill, 8-11 PM

Saturday, October 5th

Crossbridges, Amber Falls Winery, 3-7 PM
TBD, Natchez Hills Vineyard, 4-7 PM
Ret Stocstill, Buck & Board, 6-9 PM
Highroad, Hardison Mill Homestead Hall, 7 PM
Cole Ritter Band, Puckett’s, 7:30-9 PM
CJ & The Whiskey Sundown Band, Fozzy's Bar & Grill, 8-11 PM

Sunday, October 6th

Foster Party of 8, Pleasant Heights Baptist Church, 10:30-12 PM
TBD, Natchez Hills Vineyard, 1-4 PM
Martin Lane, Amber Falls Winery, 1-5 PM
Exit 24, The Rebel, 4 PM
Jay Hoppus, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM