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The city says the best viewing area for the fireworks display will be on the north side of the South Carolina State House.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The City of Columbia will have a fireworks show to ring in the New Year in downtown Columbia, officials announced Wednesday.

The event will be known as the "Capital City Fireworks" and is designed to be a special way to ring in the new year on Saturday, December 31, 2022.

The city says the best viewing area of the fireworks display will be on the north side of the South Carolina State House along Gervais Street and Main Street.

Several roads will be closed around the State House ahead of the fireworks display. Visitors are encouraged to use free on-street meter parking or complimentary parking in our downtown parking facilities.

The city had done a fireworks display for years as part of the Famously Hot New Year celebration that began in 2011. That event also included concerts and food vendors.

Famously Hot, which was South Carolina's largest was cancelled as an in-person event in both 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Back in April of this year, the city announced they were ending Famously Hot for good. At the time, event organizers encouraged people to "create new traditions around the holiday that include enjoying all that our vibrant region has to offer.”

Road Closures

South Main Street between Pendleton and College streets will be shut down at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 31st. The road will not reopen to traffic until 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, January 1st.

Pendleton Street and College Street will be closed to traffic between Assembly Street and Sumter Street beginning at 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 31st. The roads will not reopen to traffic until 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, January 1st.

Gervais Street along the north side of the State House between Assembly Street and Sumter Street will also be closed to traffic at 11:00 p.m. for the fireworks viewing area. The street will open back up when the viewing area is cleared after the firework display concludes.

Parking

The City of Columbia is offering complimentary parking for the New Year’s Eve holiday. Parking gates will be raised at all gated City parking facilities on Friday, December 30th at 5:00 p.m. until Tuesday, January 3rd at 2:00 a.m.

For more information on parking in the City of Columbia and to view all of our parking facilities, please visit parking.columbiasc.gov.

COLUMBIA — South Carolina statehouse leadership is backing legislation that will reshuffle oversight of the state’s workforce development efforts.

Speaker of the House Murrell Smith, along with members of a special committee he created to brainstorm ways to attract more industry to South Carolina, announced a bill Jan. 18 to create what the lawmakers are calling the Office of Statewide Workforce Development within the state Department of Employment and Workforce.

The office will be charged with coordinating all state-funded workforce development programs, making sure those programs run by various agencies are all delivering on their goals and following a uniform plan for improving and growing the state’s workforce.

“We have a myriad of organizations and resources right now,” said Rep. Jay West, R-Anderson, who chairs the special committee charged with examining the state workforce, utilities, roads and high-speed internet to make it more competitive.

West went on to say that by funneling all of the state’s workforce programs to one place, it will allow a coordinator to run cost benefit and performance analyses to track the outcomes of each program and report back the effectiveness to lawmakers.

Other tenets of the legislation include an annual industry and educational supply gap analysis, determining the types of open jobs in the state and the number of upcoming college graduates available to fill them.

On the side of education, the office will measure the current and future skills needed by industry and whether the state’s colleges and job training programs are teaching those skills as part of their various degree programs, West said.

The office will host information portals, informing users on the skills needed for a particular type of job, where to learn them and expected pay.

SCDEW, the cabinet agency where the new office will be housed, already offers a number of these types of services itself.

The agency’s SC Works program has both online and in-person counseling for job seekers. These centers, scattered around the state, help people “network with employers, conduct skills assessments, assist with resume writing and interviews, and even support with childcare assistance or transportation,” SCDEW Executive Director Dan Ellzey said in an earlier statement related to efforts by the agency.

The agency also oversees a back-to-work program for those in homeless shelters, a second-chance program working with the state’s prison population, a catalog of academic programs, and apprenticeships for in-demand occupations and free workforce training for those receiving unemployment benefits.

A major focus of the new office will be on improving workforce participation in the Palmetto State.

Only 56.4 percent of eligible adults in South Carolina were working or looking for work at the end of 2022, the fourth-lowest figure in the country and behind 62.1 percent nationally.

A pair of studies by SCDEW and labor-force participation task force last year set out to determine why.

One issue is the population is getting older. And with the onset of COVID-19 in early 2020, those who may have been near or contemplating retirement chose to leave the workforce, either for health reasons or being laid off amid government mandated closures.

University of South Carolina economist Joey Von Nessen said a booming stock market and ballooning 401Ks also aided in making early retirement possible.

While this phenomenon is not unique to South Carolina, the state boasts a larger aging population than many others, meaning it was more heavily impacted.

Best estimates show that South Carolina lost roughly 80,000 workers from 2019 to 2022, Von Nessen said. Of those, about half were of or near retirement age, leaving a pool of 40,000 people the state could target to bring back into the workforce.

Meanwhile, the state has roughly 168,000 open jobs, according to the latest data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Take a hike, take in a show, things to do in the Midlands on January 1, 2023

COLUMBIA, S.C. — New Year's Day 2023 falls on a Sunday and if you're not using it as a day of rest from the revelries of the night before, you may be trying to find something to do.

Here are a few suggestions:

Go outside. The weather forecast is calling for a few morning showers but highs should be in the mid- to upper-60s. A nice day for getting out and taking a hike.

South Carolina State Parks are hosting some sort of a hike/walk/run at a park near you. At Sesquicentennial State Park in Richland County, take a 2-mile stroll along the Sandhills Hiking Trail with a park ranger. Meet up at 10 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. for a scheduled 2 ½ hour walk. Make sure you and the kids have dressed appropriately for the weather and bring water, snacks, binoculars, and a camera. Free with park admission -- $6/adult, $3.50/child ages 6-15, children ages 5 and younger are free. Check out the events at southcarolinaparks.com

Although the Harry Hampton Visitor Center will be closed, Congaree National Park will remain open on Jan. 1. Make sure you check current conditions before heading out to the park near Hopkins in lower Richland County.

Explore indoors.

First Sunday at the State Museum features admission for only $1. Explore all four floors and delve into the state’s history at the South Carolina State Museum for just one dollar – or add on the Winter Stars Live Sky Experience planetarium show or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4-D movie (ending January 1) for $5 each, noon-5 p.m.

Go to brunch.

New Year's Day. Sunday. Brunch. You have choices to make.

The Venue at 1626 Main will have Paris Lefaris hosting a drag brunch from noon to 3 p.m.

The Woody at 1649 Main will have live music featuring Brooks Herring and Charles Riley, football on the TVs and traditional New Year's Day feast of collard greens and black eyed peas and ham from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Want a quieter dining experience? Dine in or take home a traditional Southern New Year's meal of pork chops, black eyed peas and locally grown collard greens from one of the many Lizard's Thicket locations.

It’s almost time to break out the bubbly.

Another year is about to come to a close, giving people a chance to reflect on their latest revolution around the sun, look ahead to a possible new beginning and of course — party it up.

Columbia has plenty of options to ring in the new year for those who want to brave the cold and the crowds.

Here are eight of the best New Year’s Eve events in Columbia.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to spend New Year’s Eve in Columbia for a spectacular fireworks display. Gather downtown around Main Street and Gervais Street at midnight to watch the night sky light up with vibrant colors.

Stop by The Grand on Main Street for a New Year’s Eve party featuring outdoor games, bowling, a DJ and a countdown to the ball drop. The VIP starts at 7 p.m. and general admission begins at 9 p.m. For more information about VIP booths or how to buy tickets, click here.

The lively Market on Main will hold a New Year’s Eve bash. Tickets will cost $50 for your choice of a 4:30, 4:45, 5 or 5:15 p.m. seating. There’s also later seating for 7:30 p.m. through 1 a.m. that will cost between $125 and $150 a ticket. Customers will provided a three-course meal. Alcohol will also be available a la cart. Customers will receive a 2-hour maximum stay from start of reservation time. To purchase tickets for the earlier seating or view the special menu, click here. For tickets to the later seating, click here.

Transmission Arcade at 1712 Main Street will host its third annual New Year’s Eve Party. The ticketed event will give customers exclusive access to the space from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. As part of their ticket purchase, customers will get a multi-course meal featuring specialty cuisine options, a specialty cocktail or other drink of equal value, a champagne toast at midnight and free play of the arcade games all night.

To purchase tickets, click here.

Dave & Busters Columbia will host a New Year’s Eve party that’s fun for entire families. Celebration admission is required to attend the early New Year’s Eve event at 6 p.m. to ring in the new year.

Celebration admission comes with access to the appetizer buffet, unlimited soda, coffee or tea, a $20 power card with 100 chips for redemption games, unlimited video game play for non-redemption games, party hats and noisemakers and more.

Dave & Busters Columbia is located at 100 Columbiana Circle, Ste. 5. To order tickets, click here.

Listen to live music as you ring in the new year at Foxfield Bar and Grille. Located at 406 Howard St., Foxfield will kick the party off at 6:30 p.m. Five local bands will be featured to rock the night away. Check the Foxfield Facebook page for more details.

Enjoy an upscale experience on Main Street at Smoked for a New Year’s Eve to remember. Tickets to the restaurant include Hors D’oeuvres, open bar (beer + select wine only), champagne toast at midnight, DJ and a photo of you when you arrive to the red carpet. To order tickets, click here.

Try something a little different this New Year’s by visiting The Venue at 1626 Main St. The night will feature dueling pianists, who will play throughout the night, from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. And of course, plenty of food and drinks will be available. Click here for reservations.

This story was originally published December 26, 2022 8:00 AM.

If you’re thinking about eating out in Columbia over the next week, you picked a great time to do so.

Restaurant Week South Carolina officially kicked off on Thursday. The 11-day statewide event, organized by the South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association, was created to highlight local restaurants, stimulate business, and give people the chance to enjoy meals at great values.

What that means for Columbia residents is access to good food at prices that are lower than usual.

And unlike some other parts of the state, Columbia residents and visitors have a wealth of options during the event, with 39 restaurants as listed participants.

No tickets are required to get any of the restaurant deals. However, reservations are recommended as the restaurants could fill up quickly.

Let’s dive into a selection of some of the better deals offered by participating Columbia restaurants. For a full list of all 39 participating Columbia restaurants and their deals during the event, click here.

Deal: Dinner menu — Three courses for $37 a person

Location: 1200 Lincoln Street

The Blue Marlin prides itself on its Southern cuisine, providing signature dishes that blend African, West Indian and Caribbean flavors. It also serves dishes with Cajun and Creole influences.

Customers will have a good selection of menu items with the three course deal. Some of the options include she crab soup or southern candied pecan salad for the first course, pesto ravioli or firecracker flounder for the second course and key lime pie or cheese cake for dessert.

Deal: Dinner menu — Three courses for $25 a person

Location: 916 Gervais Street

Located in The Vista, Boku Kitchen is an Asian fusion restaurant that makes everything from scratch, including its noodles and soups, the restaurant’s website states.

Boku Kitchen’s three course deal this week include items like wonton soup, spicy noodles and sticky rice dessert.

Deal: Lunch menu — Two courses for $28 | Dinner menu — Three courses for $28

Location: 2930 Devine Street

Known by many as Za’s on Devine, since 1999 the restaurant has been a popular spot that specializes in wood-fired pizza and Italian-inspired classics.

Both lunch and dinner deals include options like soup or salad, an 8-inch specialty pizza or sausage and tomato basil pasta and desserts like chocolate cake.

Deal: Dinner menu — Three courses for $39 each

Location: 1320 Main Street

Nestled in the heart of downtown, Market on Main can offer customers everything from a gourmet dinner to a quick cocktail and bite to eat for lunch.

The restaurant’s deal includes a good selection, such as mini crab cakes, cab prime ranch steak, half boneless chicken and cheese cake.

Deal: Dinner menu — Three courses for $38 per person

Location: 1207 Hampton Street

The Hampton Street Vineyard has been offering French-inspired cuisine since 1995. As part of the restaurant’s deal, start off with an apple salad or potato and leek soup, then enjoy ratatouille or pork schnitzel and finally creme brûlée or chocolate mousse for dessert.

This story was originally published January 13, 2023 9:49 AM.