Monday's THRIVE 10X Small Business Trade Show & Forum provided a day of enrichment and education. Held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, the Richland County Office of Small Business Opportunity’s (OSBO) signature event featured engaging breakout sessions covering free resources for entrepreneurs and small-business owners. There were also panel discussions on what corporate and government entities look for when choosing vendors, and a conversation for business owners on navigating life's common challenges.

Featured speakers included County Councilwoman Tish Dozier Alleyne and industry leaders from Advance SC, Dub Taylor Consulting, Batson-Cook Construction and others. Richland County and OSBO thank the corporate and government sponsors, participating business owners, and the City of Columbia's Office of Business Opportunities for their partnership.

On Monday, Richland County representatives met with residents to hear their thoughts on potential traffic safety improvements. The public meeting, held at Richland Library Sandhills in Columbia, was the first in a series of events aimed at informing the County's future Comprehensive Safety Action Plan.

The plan aims to create a data-driven framework for transportation projects, emphasizing traffic safety with the goal of achieving zero traffic deaths. These planning efforts represent the County’s efforts to enhance the resilience of transportation infrastructure and provide safer travel for residents and visitors.

Future meetings in the series are set for Wednesday, Oct. 7 and Wednesday, Oct. 21. 

Last Saturday, two Richland County-area groups were recognized by the County:

• Councilperson Allison Terracio (District 5) presented Blue Apple Battle, a local nonprofit, with a proclamation for its efforts to help prevent youth substance abuse at its inaugural Blue Apple Battle sports competition in downtown Columbia.

• And Councilman Derrek Pugh (District 2) presented the University of South Carolina's equestrian team with a proclamation honoring the team's 2025 SEC Championship at One Wood Farm in Blythewood.

Richland County thanks these entities for helping make our community healthy and vibrant.

Richland County personnel were recently recognized for setting a high bar for remarkable service:

• Elise Kelly, of the County Assessor's Office, was commended for providing great customer service to a resident and the resident's mother during a recent interaction. 
• Carol Williams, of the County's Zoning Division, was complimented for taking time to explain procedures and providing outstanding service overall.
• Clarence Hudgins and Quinten Bradley, both of the Zoning Division, were recognized for providing great customer service. 
• Assistant County Administrator Aric Jensen and the County's Conservation Commission received appreciation for their support of the Columbia Rowing Club and the local rowing community over the years.