In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

🗓 List of Upcoming Events

☀️ Columbia Weather - Sunny w/ high of 53 / low of 35

📰 Southern States Witness Fiery Re-Entry of Decommissioned Chinese Satellite

📰 TDOT Suspends Road Closures for Safe and Smooth Holiday Travel

🕯 Christmas Eve Services in Columbia

👉 Check Out The Ultimate Guide to Holiday Fun in Maury County & More Here

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

⛑ Looking For Ways to Help Victims of Hurricane Helene? Click 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, December 23rd

• Vet 2 Vet Breakfast Meet Up at Puckett’s - 7:00 - 9:00 AM

• The Belonging Co: Christmas at The Ryman (Free Event) - 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Tuesday, December 24th

• Trivia Night at McCreary’s Irish Pub - 7:00 PM

*For Christmas Eve services, see list of churches later in this issue

Thursday, December 26th

• Singo Bingo at Grinder’s Switch - 7:00 PM

Saturday, December 28th

• Columbia Farmers Market - 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

• Cat Show at Nashville Fairgrounds - 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

More events coming soon!

👉 Be sure to check out our MEGA list of holiday events in Maury County (& beyond) here! 👈

Southern States Witness Fiery Re-Entry of Decommissioned Chinese Satellite

A decommissioned Chinese satellite lit up the night sky over parts of the Southern United States late Saturday, creating a fireball visible from Middle Tennessee. Several Columbians posted videos and pictures on social media. The GaoJing/SuperView-1 02 satellite, launched in 2016 and decommissioned nearly two years ago, re-entered Earth’s atmosphere over New Orleans around 10 p.m. on December 21.

As the satellite descended, it burned up upon contact with the Earth’s atmosphere, producing a bright, streaking fireball observed across several southern states.

Experts note that old, decommissioned satellites regularly fall back to Earth. Without power to maintain their orbits, gravity pulls them downward, where they typically disintegrate during re-entry. This process poses minimal risk to people on the ground as most components break apart and burn up entirely.

Multiple organizations monitor and forecast the paths of space debris, helping to predict when satellites are likely to re-enter the atmosphere. The World Meteorological Organization identified this satellite as property of a private Chinese company, previously used for high-resolution land observation.

TDOT Suspends Road Closures for Safe and Smooth Holiday Travel

Road construction won’t delay travelers during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is once again halting all lane closure activity on interstates and state highways in anticipation of higher traffic volumes across the state. No temporary lane closures will be allowed for construction on Tennessee roadways beginning at 11:59 p.m. Monday, December 23, 2024, through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, January 1, 2025. 

AAA expects an estimated 2.7 million Tennesseans to travel between December 21 and January 1 with 2.58 million of them driving.

“Safety is our top priority and with so many people expected to travel Tennessee roadways during the holidays, we want to keep traffic moving and get everyone to their destinations,” said Deputy Governor & TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley. “As always, please wear your seatbelt, reduce your speed, avoid distractions, and move over for emergency vehicles.”

Except for a few long-term closures that must remain for safety, all construction-related closures will be suspended during the holiday period. Workers may still be on-site in some construction zones. Drivers should obey all posted speed limits, particularly in construction areas. Slower speeds are necessary in work zones due to the temporary layout of the roadway and will be enforced. Drivers convicted of speeding through work zones where workers are present face a fine of $250 to $500, plus court fees and possibly increased insurance premiums. 

Get the latest construction activity and live streaming SmartWay traffic cameras from your desktop or mobile device here. Travelers can also dial 511 for statewide travel information. As always, drivers are reminded to use all motorist information tools wisely and Know Before You Go! by checking travel conditions before leaving for their destination. Drivers should never tweet, text, or talk on a cell phone while behind the wheel.

Christmas Eve Services in Columbia

If you’re looking for a Christmas Eve service here in Columbia, here’s a list of some of the ones we found…

Pleasant Heights Baptist Church, 5:00 PM

Calvary Chapel at The Mulehouse, 6:30 PM

Columbia First United Methodist Church, 10:30 PM

Mosaic Church, 416 8th St., 4:00 PM

The Bridge Church, 2, 4, & 6 PM

St Peter's Episcopal Church, 3:30 & 10:30 PM

Grace Church of the Nazarene, 5:00 PM

Craft Memorial United Methodist Church, 6:00 PM

Covenant Grace, 3:30 PM

Maury Hills Church, 4:00 PM

Rolling Hills Community Church, 2:30 & 4:00 PM

There are even more services listed on this post in the I Heart Columbia group!  

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

Monday, December 23rd

Alyssa Hart, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM

Thursday, December 26th

Jim Huish, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM
Todd Ciprian, Tito's Spring Hill, 6-9 PM

Friday, December 27th

Golden Soul Revue, Grinder's Switch, 7-9 PM
Los San Patricios, McCreary’s, 7:00 PM
David Isenberg Trio, Puckett’s, 7:30-9 PM
Ballistic, Fozzy's Bar & Grill, 8-11 PM

Saturday, December 28th

TBD, Natchez Hills Vineyard, 4-7 PM
Johnny Jameson & the Empty Pints, McCreary’s, 7:00 PM
Lisa Law Trio, Puckett’s, 7:30-9 PM
New Binge Music, Fozzy's Bar & Grill, 8-11 PM

Sunday, December 29th

TBD, Natchez Hills Vineyard, 1-4 PM
Jay Hoppus, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM