Mobile Home Sales in Columbia, SC

What does it mean to be an Experience Columbia SC Ambassador? “It means just to be a cheerleader for Columbia,” said 2023 Ambassador Mattison Heatherly, and she is eager to play her part.

Heatherly is the founder of City Social Co., a social media and public relations agency specializing in hospitality and lifestyle brands.

“The majority of our clients are restaurants, mainly independently owned,” Heatherly said. “I think a huge part of any community is the restaurant scene for the locals and for tourism.”

Heatherly founded City Social Co. in 2019 as a side project, but it has blossomed.

“We have 12 clients and I do this full-time and our team is growing, our clientele is growing, and I think it's a great testament to the Columbia hospitality scene that there is that growth here,” she said.

A Texas native, Heatherly came to Columbia five years ago. The move was initially prompted by her husband’s job, but the two have fallen in love with the city and chosen to make it their long-term home.

“It's just the sweet spot. You know, it's not too big, it's not too small. There's plenty to do. It's growing. The university has its own heartbeat in the city, which I think is really cool. I think it's just a really good sweet spot and the people are great,” she said.

Heatherly enjoys many of the wide variety of things Columbia has to offer.

“There's just so much to do. Honestly, you could spend an entire day on Main Street. There's bowling, there are the golf simulators. There's great food of all types, always live music somewhere. There's the Columbia Museum of Art, a great ice cream shop and then the movie theater. You can literally start from breakfast to lunch to dinner to drinks and entertainment, which I think is really cool,” she said.

Heatherly and her husband found themselves needing to make friends when they arrived in Columbia as young professionals, but happily discovered that Southern hospitality is real.

“It's hard when you move to any new city, but I think you just have to put yourself out there,” she said. “One of my best friends I met through messaging on Instagram. So I would just say put yourself out there. Go to the events, message people, network. There are great people here in Columbia.”

As the destination marketing organization for the region, which began as the Greater Columbia Convention & Visitors Bureau in 1984, Experience Columbia SC’s purpose is to inspire travel to the region to drive economic impact to local hospitality businesses like restaurants, hotels, attractions, shops and more. In order to become a great destination for visitors, it's important to first appeal to local residents, which is what sparked Experience Columbia SC to create a Local Ambassador Program to help lead the charge.

“Our ambassador program provides potential visitors the opportunity to see how locals enjoy the Columbia area and shows them how to create those experiences during their trip. Our 2023 ambassadors have a diverse array of interests and ways they enjoy Columbia that we hope will resonate with our future visitors,” said Kelly Barbrey, Experience Columbia SC vice president of marketing and communications.

To read more about the program, visit experiencecolumbiasc.com/ambassadors.

University of South Carolina women’s basketball Coach Dawn Staley will be honored with a statue in downtown Columbia.

Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann told The State the city plans to erect a statue at the corner of Main and Gervais streets across from the S.C. State House, “so that everyone who comes through Columbia can see that, and it can be a reminder to everyone that opportunity is what you make of it, and nobody can stand in your way.”

A design for the statue is still in the works, and an unveiling could be about a year away.

“It’s going to be a reminder to every young girl that, ‘I have the ability and I have an equal value, and nobody should forget about that,’” Rickenmann said.

The statue is being created in partnership with international arts funding group Statues for Equality, a group that aims to “balance gender and racial representation in public statues” around the world.

Staley, the mayor said, has been an ambassador for leveling the playing field for girls and women in sports, pushing for equal funding, attention and respect as men’s sports. She and the university have already been consulted on the statue, and a rendering is in the works, the mayor’s office said.

“I come from humble beginnings, a place where there are no statues honoring people like me,” Staley said in an email release. “So to have such an honor bestowed upon me, is incredibly special. I hope that a young girl or boy who is growing up the way I did sees this as a way forward and a path toward their own dreams.”

Rickenmann expects about a 12-month timeline to complete the statue once the design is finalized.

The project is expected to cost $140,000, with half of the funding coming from Statues for Equality and half committed by local business people, the mayor’s office said.

“What the (USC women’s basketball) team has done is not only show excellent grace, at the same time, they’ve stood up for trying to level the playing field in sports,” Rickenmann said. “I’m excited that we have a coach who has really embraced our community and at the same time has really empowered her athletes to stand up tall every day.”

In 14 years coaching the Gamecocks, Staley has brought home two national championship trophies and vaulted the team into the perennial national spotlight. Among her myriad accomplishments, Staley has been named the national coach of the year three times and is USC’s all-time winningest basketball coach — men’s or women’s.

“Coach Staley is a fantastic ambassador for the university, the city and for women’s basketball,” USC Athletics Director Ray Tanner said in a statement. “Through her leadership and tenacity on and off the court, she exemplifies what it means to be a Gamecock. This planned statue would hopefully inspire excellence in generations to come.”

The city was approached by Statues for Equality, Rickenmann said, and put in a bid for funding for a statue of Staley.

“We’re going to be working with the coach on the right pictures and pose, and the artist will be providing us with the renderings,” the mayor said.

The Staley statue will be the second structure honoring a USC women’s basketball star in the capital city.

In January 2021, USC unveiled an 11-foot bronze statue of Gamecock great A’ja Wilson, a Columbia native who helped lead the team to its first national championship in 2017. Also an Olympic gold medalist, Wilson has gone on to star in the WNBA with the Las Vegas Aces, bringing home the league championship and her second WNBA MVP trophy last season.

This story was originally published February 8, 2023, 6:19 PM.

COLUMBIA — Pam Loudon’s life changed forever nine months after she gave birth to her daughter P.J. Sloat.

Doctors diagnosed P.J. with an intellectual disability and cerebral palsy, an abnormal brain development that affects a person’s ability to control their muscles.

P.J., now 20, is legally blind, uses a wheelchair and requires constant care to perform basic functions. Loudon, 52, had to quit her job as a software developer and devote herself to caring for P.J. The Mount Pleasant family renovated their home, hired a nursing service and bought a used van they rigged with a wheelchair lift.

The family is barely making it work now with a mix of government support and donations through GoFundMe pages, but Loudon worries most about the future.

“A parent’s worst fear is outliving a child. Not so sure that’s the case in South Carolina when you’re caring for a child with a disability,” Loudon said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen to P.J. when I cannot care for her.”

If P.J. had to go into state care, she would enter a system that the federal Department of Justice has been investigating since last January for parking disabled people in community residential care facilities, cutting them off from society and violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Advocates for disabled people on Feb. 28 called for the state to create a plan to come into compliance with the ADA and adequately fund services for families like Loudon’s during a press conference at the Columbia Convention Center. If nothing is done, the advocates pointed out that disabled people elsewhere in the country have sued their states into compliance.

“Historically, our clients ... have been segregated, they’ve been warehoused and they’ve struggled for many years to be recognized as human,” said Anna Maria Connor, an attorney for Disability Rights South Carolina.

“Do we want (change) imposed on us by litigation or an outside entity, or do we want to take this opportunity and come up with our own plan?” she asked.

The U.S. Supreme Court found in the 1999 Olmstead v. L.C. decision that the ADA requires disabled people be cared for in the most communally integrated setting possible regardless of their financial means.

South Carolina does not do that, advocates said in a report released this month.

Thirty-five states and Washington, D.C., have Olmstead compliance plans, but South Carolina does not, said Beth Franco, executive director of Disability Rights South Carolina.

Franco called on South Carolina to pass legislation to create a plan, benchmarks to ensure it’s enforced and a state coordinator position to oversee its implementation.

Advocates and families also faulted the state for poorly reimbursing support services, like nursing agencies, and for long waiting lists for state-administered Medicaid waivers. Loudon said her family has not had enough nurses since 2014 due to the tough working conditions and paltry pay driving people from the profession.

“There are some really genuinely great people out there who will do it, but I do feel like we in this state have leveraged their compassion,” she said. “We’ve guilted them into staying in a job that doesn’t pay.”

State Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, pledged to support the advocates’ efforts in the Statehouse.

“We owe it to those who sometimes can’t advocate for themselves to see this work through and improve the lives of millions in our state,” she said at the Feb. 28 event.

Loudon hopes relief comes soon.

“It would provide some hope,” she said as P.J. sat quietly in her chair nearby.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — “The Freshies” have had a winning impact on South Carolina, one coach Dawn Staley believes will last long after they leave campus.

“We’ve had leaders leave a legacy of leadership,” Staley said Sunday after her top-ranked team’s 73-63 victory over Georgia. “It’s still intact.”

And has more yet to accomplish.

The group of five led by reigning AP national player of the year Aliyah Boston and high-scoring Zia Cooke (they’ve called themselves “The Freshies” since arriving as the country’s No. 1 recruiting class) has helped the Gamecocks win three Southeastern Conference titles, two league tournament crowns and last year’s NCAA championship.

Boston had her 78th career double-double with 25 points and 11 rebounds, and Cooke had 10 of her 12 points in the first half as the Gamecocks (29-0) completed a perfect, 16-0 SEC season.

The quintet, which also includes Brea Beal, Laeticia Amihere and Olivia Thompson, has a 122-8 record the past four years and has won 35 straight games since its last loss to Kentucky at the SEC Tournament a year ago.

Boston and her teammates hope to avenge that and add to their trophy collection this coming week.

“There’s definitely no relief” after their flawless regular season, she said. “Now, were into the season where winning is the only option.”

Kamilla Cardoso, the Gamecocks’ 6-foot-7 reserve, also had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Georgia (20-10, 9-7) kept things uncomfortably close into the second quarter before the Gamecocks pulled away for their 17th straight victory in the series.

Georgia frustrated South Carolina nearly two months ago, holding Boston to four points and five boards in a 68-51 loss on Jan. 2.

The Bulldogs defense was at it again, this time limiting just about every other Gamecock besides Boston to stay within arms length of the defending national champions. Diamond Battles’ basket with 5:58 to go before the half tied things at 25.

South Carolina dialed up its own defense for a 10-2 run the rest of the half to take control. The Gamecocks forced three turnovers and Georgia missed its five attempts during the four-minute span.

Cooke opened the surge with a driving bucket and closed it with a three as the Gamecocks lead 35-27 at the break.

South Carolina used its dominating height advantage — Cardoso scored all her points the final 20 minutes — to maintain a double-figure lead for much of the second half.

Georgia came in with a five-game win streak, but fell to 0-4 this season against ranked opponents. Battles led the Bulldogs with 20 points.

Bulldogs first-year coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson was proud of her team’s fight and said this doesn’t diminish in how they’ve gelled the past month.

“Their personality is now becoming my personality,” she said. “Which I love that. They’ve got to be fighters and they’ve got to be tough.”

BIG PICTURE

Georgia: The Bulldogs had no offensive rebounds in the first 20 minutes against South Carolina, which is second nationally in grabbing its opponents misses with more than 31 a game this season. Georgia entered this game fifth in SEC offensive rebounding per game at 13.3.

South Carolina: The Gamecocks were stunned by Kentucky in last year’s SEC Tournament finals. But it’s hard to imagine South Carolina’s versatile, talented roster letting up after the way they’ve handled the challenges of being No. 1 and remaining undefeated.

SENIOR TEARS

Aliyah Boston had her emotions on display as South Carolina’s seven seniors were celebrated at Senior Day. Boston cried several times, including on video as she discussed her time at school in a taped message to fans. When Boston cried in the tunnel before the ceremony, she got a bit of coaching from Staley, “It’s too early,” Boston recalled.

UP NEXT

Georgia starts SEC Tournament play on Thursday.

South Carolina, the top seed, begins play in Friday’s quarterfinals.

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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

West Columbia, Feb. 21, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- West Columbia, Texas -

The new Bin Store in Columbia offers unbeatable prices on a wide range of products in a unique treasure-hunting shopping experience.

Overstock liquidation bin stores are well-known among thrift shoppers, offering discounted products, including clothing, accessories, home décor, and electronics. These stores provide an excellent opportunity to find great deals on various items.

The Bin Store Columbia SC is transforming the shopping experience for bargain hunters. It has rapidly gained popularity as the premier destination for individuals seeking top-brand products at unbeatable prices.

The Bin Store is popular among thrift shoppers and bargain hunters. People come from far and wide to explore the bins filled with deals and treasures, with some arriving early for a chance to find high-value items. Liquidation stores like The Bin Store are beneficial for resellers,facebook marketplace or flea market flippers, as they offer a wide range of products at discounted prices.

The store offers a unique experience, allowing customers to find products priced at $6 or less, depending on the day. The affordability and excitement of the hunt makes The Bin Store a destination for those who love a good bargain and those looking to flip items for profit.

One of the key benefits of shopping at The Bin Store is finding high-value products at a fraction of the retail price. The merchandise comes from truckloads of overstock items from major retailers and wholesalers, which they receive weekly. These items are new or gently used that have been returned or unable to sell for various reasons.

On restock day, any item found in the bins is $6, with prices dropping daily until reaching $1 on Thursday. Selling items in this way makes for a reimagined retail shopping experience, where customers can enjoy finding top brand-name items that are new or gently used.

For more information, visit https://shopbinstores.com/

is a unique shopping destination specializing in liquidation returns. Offering a treasure hunt experience, the store carries over 99% of its inventory as new or returned items. With everything priced at $6 or less, depending on the day, customers can explore a wide range of products. The Bin Store has two locations in South Carolina, North Augusta, and West Columbia, and receives truckloads of overstock items from major retailers and wholesalers every week.