Columbus and the Valley Magazine

12/01/2025

Conversations on the Couch with
Ashley Woitena
CEO OF VISITCOLUMBUSGA

In March 2025, Ashley Woitena was named President and CEO of VisitColumbusGA, the organization responsible for promoting tourism in Columbus. Since stepping into the role, she’s hit the ground running. We caught up with her at the Springer, where she was meeting with community leaders to plan upcoming city events.

Tell us about yourself and how you ended up at VisitColumbusGA?
I moved to this area when I was 18 to play softball at Chattahoochee Valley Community College. I played there for two years and had every intention of leaving and going off to a bigger school. Thankfully, during my freshman year, I started working at a restaurant downtown. In my junior year, I decided to stay here because the people here felt like family. I felt welcomed by everybody, and 90 percent of the people I worked with when I was 18, I’m still friends with today. I fell in love with Columbus, fell in love with what we were doing here. I was here at the time when the Uptown area was doing the whole street scape project.

Read more here: https://issuu.com/columbusandthevalley.com/docs/november_december_2025_columbus_the_valley/74

11/28/2025

For Small Business Saturday and as a thank you to our loyal subscribers, we're offering a 25% discount on one/two year subscriptions, renewals and gift subscriptions. Just use code 25OFF at checkout from Nov. 28 - Dec. 1.

A Columbus & the Valley subscription is the perfect gift for Christmas shipped right to your mailbox 6 times a year. We have an amazing year ahead chock-full of amazing stories you won't want to miss.

We're proud to tell the stories of our region, and we thank you for reading over the years.

Subscribe here: https://columbusandthevalley.com/subscribe/

11/27/2025

11/26/2025

Did you know we house the 2025 National Infantry Museum's Annual Report?

Check it out here: https://issuu.com/columbusandthevalley.com/docs/november_december_2025_columbus_the_valley/51

11/25/2025

The holidays are upon us. Wine and spirits feature prominently in many holiday celebrations, however, shopping for these gifts can be overwhelming. Wine aficionados can be difficult to buy for; their knowledge exceeds your knowledge or their taste exceeds your budget for their gift. Here are some ideas for gifts for the wine lover in your life.

Wine Accessories
Classic gift ideas in this category include wine openers. Almost every wine lover has at least a small collection of corkscrews and other wine openers. The variations and price points are almost endless.
Wine glasses are another obvious choice with a plethora of options. Obvious choices in this category are the well-known Riedel glassware; this company produces different shaped glasses for every grape varietal. These are wonderful glasses, although somewhat expensive and very fragile. Another interesting option includes a pair or set of vintage or non-traditional glasses. Stemless wine glasses have become very popular recently because they do not tip over as easily as glasses with long stems.

Read more here: https://issuu.com/columbusandthevalley.com/docs/november_december_2025_columbus_the_valley/71

11/24/2025

A New Home with a Solid Foundation

Community Foundation’s New Location Bridges History and Future Opportunities

The “brick box” of a building at 1147 Sixth Avenue in Columbus is easy to miss as you drive by. It doesn’t stand out with avant-garde architecture or flashy décor. “From the time we moved here when I was eight,” Betsy Covington recalls, “we drove past it every week going to church and I never noticed it.”
Over the past year, though, Covington, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley (CFCV), has fallen in love with the place—as has her board and the rest of the staff. And on October 16, they held a Dedication Celebration to introduce it as the CFCVs new home. Artwork signed by the guests that evening, which will be framed to hang in the lobby, reads, “This space is dedicated to the work of the Community Foundation to strengthen the Chattahoochee Valley through the power of collective giving and partnerships.”

Read more here: https://issuu.com/columbusandthevalley.com/docs/november_december_2025_columbus_the_valley/47

11/22/2025

Each year, our 5 Under 40 and Rising Stars remind us why investing in young leadership matters. Their work, vision and commitment reflect the very best of our community.
Thank you to this year’s honorees for uplifting others, pushing boundaries and setting the standard for excellence. We’re proud to celebrate you, and excited to see what you’ll accomplish next. 🌟

11/21/2025

Valley Business Insider

A couple of months ago, we talked about the new direction of Columbus’ economic development strategy with fresh leadership at the Chamber of Commerce and Choose Columbus. Since then, big announcements have followed—new companies investing here, existing employers reinvesting and hundreds of new jobs on the way. Let’s take a closer look at the impact.

New Companies Coming to Columbus
The biggest announcement came from Governor Brian Kemp —South Korea-based JS Link will invest $223 million to build a rare earth permanent magnet facility
in Muscogee Technology Park. The new 130,000-square-foot plant will create 520 jobs. For the U.S., this is a strategic win—reducing reliance on foreign sources for critical materials used in cars, data centers and robotics. For Columbus, it’s exactly the type of project the city envisioned when developing the Technology Park.

Read more here: https://issuu.com/columbusandthevalley.com/docs/november_december_2025_columbus_the_valley/21

11/20/2025

Home is Where the Heart Is
Love & Real Estate with the Gamaches

Alayne and Jason Gamache make being a power couple look effortlessly cool. “We’ve always supported each other,” Alayne says of their career journeys, seated with Jason at a table in the break room of PTAP—the auto-accessories shop that grew from a hobby to a brand featured in Super Bowl commercials over the past 20 years, and the foundation for his substantial commercial-property holdings in Uptown Columbus.
“I do cars for a living,” Jason explains of the passion behind his Perfect Touch Automotive Playground. “I’ve always loved cars, but have come to love the people—the customers, the staff—at PTAP more than the cars. But, I’ve come to learn, what I really love is architecture.”

Read more here: https://issuu.com/columbusandthevalley.com/docs/november_december_2025_columbus_the_valley/38

11/19/2025

There's still time to get in your wedding photos!

We want to feature your wedding photo! 💒
Email: [email protected]

11/18/2025

A Gift-Giving Guide for Movie Lovers

As this issue finds its way into the homes of our readers, holiday shopping season will be in high gear. Here are some suggestions for film-related gifts to satisfy the cine phile on your Christmas list:

XReal One Pro: These AR (augmented reality) eyeglasses are made from Ray-Ban frames with built-in miniature speakers from Bose. Hook up your favorite device (phone, tablet, etc.), and you’ll find yourself watching your favorite shows and movies on a 171-inch virtual screen. Think of it as an Apple Vision Pro without the four-figure price tag. It’s the perfect way to watch in privacy on vacation, on a plane or any time the kids don’t need to be members of the audience. The XReals are slightly bigger than a pair of sunglasses, so you won’t look like you’re in a science fiction film while you use them. If your vision is less than 20- 20, you can buy prescription inserts for around $50 for perfect clarity. You can also bypass the built-in speakers to avoid broadcasting your viewing to people sitting around you by simply sending
the audio to your favorite ear buds or headphones via Bluetooth.

Read more here: https://issuu.com/columbusandthevalley.com/docs/november_december_2025_columbus_the_valley/37

11/17/2025

Framing the Narrative

FROM CRUNCHING NUMBERS TO CRAFTING CUSTOM FRAMES, KARA CABLE HAS CHARTERED A COURSE OF HUMBLE BRILLIANCE TO FIND A HOME IN THE ART WORLD

Pointing to a picture taped up on her kitchen fridge of her as a teen holding a pet cat, Kara Cable says her love for felines is more like “a life-long obsession.”
It’s a Monday, and that means Cable’s Uptown location of her two Cat’s Meow shops is closed to the public. In contrast to her original Pine Mountain store—open seven days a week, catering to tourists who browse Cable’s tasteful blend of imported, vintage and artisan wares—the Columbus shop is “the workhorse,” Cable explains. It’s where the humble, yet internationally renowned, custom artwork framer plies her craft.
Henry, a charming orange tabby, curls up for belly rubs on Cable’s work table. He retreats to a blanketed perch in the adjoining room to watch the proceedings when Cable begins to pull sample materials from the large wooden filing cabinet her husband, Jeff, built for her and spread them out on the table before her. “Henry’s bright,” Cable explains. “He’s always within an eyeshot, but Eleanor couldn’t be bothered. She’s waiting for you to leave before she goes to eat.”

Read more here: https://issuu.com/columbusandthevalley.com/docs/november_december_2025_columbus_the_valley/14