Today in Columbia: Frigid Temps Remind Us It Is, Afterall, Winter

The Weather:

"Increasing clouds, with a high near 33. West wind between 5 and 10 mph. Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. West wind between 6 and 9 mph." — The National Weather Service

Deck the House:

Columbia resident Charles Daniels has moved up to ninth place in Patch's Deck the House contest, but there's a lot of room to make up if we hope to win the $100,000 grand prize for Howard County public schools.

Remember that you can vote once per day through Jan. 8.

Daniels won Columbia Patch's contest by popular vote, and was then chosen by a panel of judges to be among the nation's 24 finalists.

As of Tuesday night, Daniels' house had 720 votes.

The leader, a house in California, has nearly 5,000 votes.

Help spread the word by sharing the link to Daniels' entry through social media networks and any other distribution lists you might have.

We have five days to put Daniels over the top!

Shout-Out:

Columbia resident Britni Lucille Franklin recently graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design, according to a press release from ReadMedia Newswire.

Franklin earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in painting.

Congratulations!

Leap Year:

If your birthday is Feb. 29, I want to talk to you.

Being born on Feb. 29 means you get to celebrate your actual birthday just once every four years. How do you celebrate? Do you throw a big party to make up for the other three years?

And during non-Leap years, do you celebrate on Feb. 28 or March 1?

I'd like to include you in a story about folks born on Leap Day. Send an email to marge.neal@patch.com.

Headlines You May Have Missed Tuesday:

What Do You Think Columbia's Slogan Should Be?

Time Machines Do Exist, Part 2

Tuesday Morning Snow 'Dusts' Region

Poll: Who Will Win Iowa Republican Caucus?

Public School News You Need to Know

AAA Mid-Atlantic Praises Drop in Traffic Deaths

Today in Columbia: Cold Temps, Leap Day Babies, Deck the House