What happened to live music? By Miguel Juarez I don’t like to romanticize “The Good Old Days” because I firmly believe the world we are building is better every day than what it used to be. If that’s not the case, it is us who are failing. Just like every generation before us, it is our responsibility to pick up what we were given and run with it as far as we can. I was…
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Connecting With Our Watershed By Natalie Downey The wild rivers, lakes, creeks and ponds of Georgia criss-cross the state, our spectacular watershed unfolding like a flowing web of aquatic vitality. This magnificent watershed doesn’t just exist; it whispers a beautiful truth: connection is everything. Yet in our fast-paced world, many folks find themselves drifting away from the very water sources that keep our ecosystem afloat. We know that water is essential to life, and yet,…
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By Frank Etheridge Talk about a glorious full-circle moment. When the raucous, untamed spirit of Ma Rainey takes the same Springer stage where the “Mother of the Blues” first performed 125 years ago at age 14, she rightfully returns as a now-iconic genius finally given her due. While Columbus native Gertrude Pridget (1886-1939) has long enjoyed critical acclaim, it wasn’t until America’s Cultural Reckoning of recent years, which allowed for new voices such as Black…
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The savory smell of pizza wafts across Columbus as a local favorite returns. By Natalie Downey Deorio’s restaurant has been Columbus’ family-friendly pizza joint for decades, a welcoming spot which, for many, became a regular part of their lives. When its doors closed in 2017, the community was dismayed to lose not only one of its favorite pizza places, but also the smiling faces of Deorio’s owners and staff who were, many say, like family….
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Around Town Birds of PreyA must-see since its debut in 2000. During suitable weather, these magnificent creatures – which cannot be released into the wild, due either to injury or having developed an unnatural association with humans known as “imprinting” – demonstrate their strength, speed, and natural instincts in daily flighted programs. Several birds appear at each program, swooping overhead and giving guests an up-close look “on the glove,” while our raptor experts explain how…
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For Another Year of Jazz By Miguel Juarez And just like that, we’re halfway through the decade. There’s a saying that goes, “The days are long, but the years are short,” and 2025 came lighting fast. Thanks to all of you who are reading this and who are supporting live music and the arts, the Columbus Jazz Society made it another year and is able to continue advocating for our unique culture. We have been…
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The story of local band Skydog Gypsy comes with a pocketful of legend. By Frank Etheridge “There are people who have been to hundreds of our shows — and that’s more shows than I’ve played,” Josh Becker (half) jokes about the rabid fanbase for Skydog Gypsy. Four (or five) phenomenal talents playing transcendent tunes with jaw-dropping prowess, the seminal Columbus jam band – in the four (or five) years following its 1998 debut at the…
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Your Journey to a Wonderland of Good Tastes Awaits By Natalie Downey Tucked into a lush valley, surrounded by vineyards and some of the oldest pecan trees in Georgia, Nutwood Winery nestles quietly into its home spot in LaGrange. Georgia is known for many things, but wineries aren’t typically one of them. Owners Neil and Trish Liechty say the idea to open a winery came about while they were sitting on their porch. “Neil was…
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Uptown’s Fall Food Truck Festival serves up the goods, raises funds for vital community programs. By Frank Etheridge Over the last couple of decades, Uptown Columbus has transformed from a no-options food desert into a blooming onion of a mecca for foodies. This delicious change comes in large part due to the diligent efforts of the nonprofit entity Uptown, Inc. that not only champions the people and places inside this historic, yet vibrant, downtown corridor…
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