In January 2026, the Anderson School District Two Board of Trustees voted to move forward with construction documents for a new unified middle school. As we approach a special election on Saturday, May 2, 2026, it is vital to discuss the real-world impacts this transition would have on our students, our educators, and our collective future.

“This will allow us some time to work on ordinances we have on conservation developments,” said Anderson County Councilman Jimmy Davis, who proposed the resolution. “The one we have currently needs some additions and improvements.”

The debate at the College of Charleston came hours after a Senate committee advanced a bill banning abortions from the onset of a pregnancy, with no exceptions for victims of rape or incest, or for a diagnosed fatal fetal anomaly. Women could be sent to prison for up to two years and fined $1,000 for getting an abortion or possessing the drugs to cause one.

West Pelzer has chosen a new town council member. Julia Clanton, received 37 votes to win the seat. Jason Knight received 11 votes and Jodie Southwood 7, in an election that saw a turnout of 8.87 percent of eligible voters (55 of 620).

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection tariff refund system went live Monday, marking what small business advocates call a “complex” first step for entrepreneurs to recoup $166 billion in import taxes accrued under President Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs, which the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in February.

“I will fight this decision. Just like the voters of City Council Seat Five, the law and the facts are on my side. The voters selected me by a two to one margin, and I will appeal the erroneous decision of the Municipal Election Commission to ensure the voice of our district will not be silenced.”

Community members are encouraged to get involved by registering as participants, forming teams, or signing on as financial sponsors. Official event T-shirts are currently available, and organizers recommend reserving them early.

At the center of the event is a local idea dressed in fancier clothes: a festival that is both street party and cultural showcase. The music lineup includes Joe Nichols, The Tams, Benton Blount, and a spread of regional and local performers, while nearly 60 artisan vendors, live art demonstrations, and four stages will keep downtown in motion from Friday afternoon into Saturday evening.

These recognitions will put the spotlight on students nominated by teachers and/or other school officials from each of Anderson County’s middle and high schools who have positively affected their peers, teachers, and/or school staff in the areas of human rights, special needs, and disabilities, and/or cultural inclusion and acceptance. These qualities were exemplified by White, who was known for his ability and efforts to reach out to those who were alone, shy, or ignored.

The resolution reads, in part that: “All orders and resolutions in conflict herewith are, to the extent of such conflict only, repealed and rescinded. Should any part or portion of this resolution be deemed unconstitutional or otherwise unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, such finding shall not affect the remainder hereof, all of which is hereby deemed separable. This resolution shall take effect and be in force immediately upon enactment.”

It had the feel of a county fair with better seasoning, a culinary competition and a civic engine, the sort of event that is measured in volunteer labor and nonprofit benefits as well as in heat units. The people behind it described a year-long operation built by committee, local coordination, and a steady belief that a bowl of chili can do the work of a fundraiser, a tourism draw, and a neighborhood reunion all at once.

Voters will choose between two candidates whose resumes reflect different paths of local service. Julia Clanton, an English teacher and girls’ basketball coach, and Jodie Southwood, a nurse with emergency-services experience, are running for the at-large West Pelzer Town Council.

The referendum will appear as a special election on May 2, and it asks voters in Anderson School District Two to decide the fate of a plan that would address the district’s two middle schools, both of them housed in buildings built in the 1950s. Belton Middle School sits in the old Belton High School building, while Honea Path Middle School occupies the former Geer Gantt High School, and both have needs that district officials describe as extensive and costly.

The sixteenth annual South Carolina Chili Cook-Off Championship is set for Saturday, from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. in downtown Belton. More than 30 professional chili cooks from across the United States and Canada will compete for a chance to make it to the World Championships in one of four categories: Red Chili, Chile Verde, Homestyle Chili and Salsa.

“I love city management, but I am excited for this new role,” said Miller. “I wish Pendleton the best,” adding that the town is in a great place to move forward thanks to the work of “those who have served the town and set them up to win.”

McElhannon says she came to the work through the food bank, where daily contact with residents made the town’s needs impossible to ignore. There is a plainness to that explanation that feels almost old-fashioned: she saw the problem, and then she decided to do something about it. In Pelzer, a town of small scale and large memory, the new outreach office appears to be built on that simple bargain between attention and obligation.

The ban applies to all 46 counties and bars outdoor burning in unincorporated areas, including yard debris fires, prescribed burns, campfires, bonfires and other recreational fires. The commission said the combination of dry fuels, critically low relative humidity and gusty winds has created conditions that could turn even a small spark into a dangerous fire.

But in a vote of 4-2 along party lines Wednesday, a panel advanced Sen. Richard Cash’s latest attempt to ban abortions without exceptions for rape or incest, or for fatal fetal anomalies. Four Republicans and one Democrat on the panel were absent Wednesday.

The deal brings in-house a key supplier that Vertiv has worked with for years, allowing the company to accelerate production of prefabricated systems for data centers under pressure to scale quickly, CEO Giordano Albertazzi said in a statement. BMarko, founded in 2014 and based in Williamston near Anderson County, recently expanded its plant to 560,000 square feet — a facility now folded into Vertiv’s regional operations.

Darryl Thompson, who lost to Winbush in the race, filed a protest to the results challenging the residency of his opponent. A city hearing on Tuesday determined that there was not enough evidence to verify Winbush’s residency in the district thus nullifying last week’s election results in the race. City council candidates are required to reside in the city district they are seeking at the time of filing to run for office.