🌱 Man Dies In Westside Drive Fire + New Job Opportunities

Happy Tuesday, people of Columbia! Here's everything you need to know about what's happening in Columbia today.

First, today's weather:

Sunshine and patchy clouds. High: 68 Low: 37.

Here are the top three stories today in Columbia:

1. A man has died in a West Columbia structure fire. The blaze occurred around 6:00 a.m. on Monday at the 700 block of Westside Drive. The person found inside was removed by fire crews and taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. (WIS10)
2. The Richland County coroner identified a 65-year-old Columbia man who was the victim of a hit-and-run. Around 10:30 p.m. last Thursday, Ronald Giddens was hit by a vehicle as he was crossing the northbound lanes on Two Notch. The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the incident. (ColaDaily.com)
3. Looking for a job in the Columbia area? Patch and Nextdoor have created listings of new job opportunities for Columbia residents. There are available positions at Wallet Wisdom Staffing, Caif, and Palmetto State Glass. Visit Patch to see the full listing. (Columbia Patch)

Looking for a healthy alternative to that mid-week glass (or three) of wine? Our partners at Betera set out to create beverages that were sophisticated and flavorful enough to drink at cocktail hour but with zero hangover risk. (Their motto is “Drink like there’s tomorrow.”) Betera's drinks are designed by a Michelin-starred chef using natural botanicals — they're lightly effervescent, sippable, refreshingly bitter and at home in a stem glass or in a highball on the rocks. Betera offers three recipes — Rhubarb-Hibiscus, Elderflower-Lime and Ginger-Orange. We’ve tried all three and loved them equally — we recommend the mixed case as a great place to start.

Betera has extended their 15% discount on first orders to Daily readers, in appreciation for the enthusiastic response so far. Enter Patch15 at checkout and https://bit.ly/TryBetera.

Today in Columbia:

• Cats At Koger Center For The Arts (2:00 PM)
• Exhibit- The Art Of Being: Woman At The Richland Public Library (2:00 PM)
• The Job Search Accelerator Masterclass At The University of South Carolina (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The City of Columbia finished out Black History Month with two major celebrations this past weekend! (Facebook)
• Our furry friends at the Columbia Animal Shelter are looking for people interested in spending time with shelter dogs to enrich their lives! Orientation will be held on Mar. 12. (Facebook)
• The Community Development Department will host an All Access Columbia Training on Mar. 2 at 3:00 p.m. David Hatcher will explore Code Enforcement in the City of Columbia! Registration is free. (Facebook)

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• Divorce Boot Camp – Vesta's South Carolina Hub (March 8)
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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today! I'll see you around.

— Dan Casarella

About me: Dan Casarella is a writer, podcast producer, and small business development specialist who formerly worked in late-night television. He’s produced many talk segments, including with President Joe Biden, Kobe Bryant, and Chadwick Boseman. Dan studied Media Studies and Production at Temple University. He also enjoys running, painting, and the highs and lows of Philadelphia’s sports teams.