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🌱 Patch AM: How long Malfunction Junction construction will disrupt your Columbia commute

Coming up on the Columbia Patch calendar: South Carolina State Fair

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Friday December 26th Patch AM
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Good morning to you Columbia! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How long Malfunction Junction construction will disrupt your Columbia commute
  • How Columbia firefighters shattered records feeding local families this holiday
  • How Columbia’s debutante traditions grew from Lafayette’s visit to today

Also on today's calendar: Release and Renew: A Sound Healing Journey into 2026 and 3 more events.

Find out what's happening in Columbiafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: What did the clock say when it ran out of batteries? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Columbiafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Friday: Not as warm, with a high of 68 and low of 55 degrees.
  • Saturday: Plenty of sunshine, temps: high: 79, low: 55.
  • Sunday: Not as warm with low clouds, with a high of 68 and low of 58 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Malfunction Junction: Milestones met on $1.7 billion project, but bulk of work remains (postandcourier.com) — Drivers in and around Columbia face years more construction as the $1.7 billion Carolina Crossroads overhaul of Malfunction Junction moves into later phases, with the core I-20/I-26 interchange work not starting until 2030. Early phases near Colonial Life Boulevard, Broad River Road, and Bush River Road are nearing major completion, promising long-term time savings but continued lane shifts and closures in the meantime.
   

2. Firefighters feed over 600 families for the holidays (abcnews4.com) — Hundreds of Columbia and Richland County families received groceries, produce, and meat through the Columbia-Richland Fire Department’s annual Firefighters Feeding Families drive, which set a new record this year. Long lines formed at CRFD headquarters on Laurel Street as city and county leaders, churches, and local businesses teamed up to fund and distribute thousands of dollars in food.
   

3. When did the debutante balls begin and why? (thecolumbiastar.com) — If you’ve ever wondered how Columbia’s debutante season began, this piece traces it from early 1800s balls honoring Lafayette to today’s Cotillion, Columbia Ball, Camellia Ball, and more. It explains how local societies evolved to present young women into Columbia’s social life.
   

4. Former SC Statehouse lobbyist finds new purpose after hitting rock bottom with drinking, arrest (postandcourier.com) — A former Columbia-based Statehouse lobbyist is rebuilding his life after alcohol addiction, arrest, and losing his law license, even taking a dog-washing job to get back on his feet. Now living in recovery, he’s working as a peer counselor and focusing on helping others rather than returning immediately to high-powered legal work.
   

5. Alice Marie Siebert (thecolumbiastar.com) — Longtime Columbia resident and church musician Alice Marie Siebert Philp, 94, is remembered for her decades of service at First Presbyterian, Covenant Presbyterian, and Columbia College’s precollege music program. Her family invites friends to a remembrance service on January 3 at Smith Chapel in downtown Columbia, with memorials suggested to First Presbyterian’s missions or organ and sanctuary projects.
   

📸 Around Columbia

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • As of 11/14, my cat Judy is still missing.
    I live in the woodlands and have been walking every early morning and early evening(if I'm not at work) looking for her. I'm hoping for a Christmas… (Nextdoor The Woodlands)
  • With the new year fast approaching my wish is that people of this world would stop and realize that we are all of one race and that is the “human race”.
    I wish we could all put our differences aside. Treat one another with respect, compassion and show empathy again. Together in love is a much easier… (Nextdoor St Andrews)
  • Storms bearing down on waterlogged Southern California could cause more flooding and mudslides/... (X: wis10)
  • More than 600 families across Richland County received food for the holiday season through the Columbia-Richland Fire Department’s annual... (X: ABCNews4)
  • MTM, Inc. posted a job opening for Manager, Transportation in Columbia. Apply here.
  • Sam's Club posted a job opening for Meat Cutter and Wrapper in Columbia. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Columbia here.

Ok Columbia! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I guess I’m out of time.
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