Housing starts in the area continue to skyrocket, making Pendleton the fastest growing town in Anderson County.

The purpose of the project is to improve safety and traffic flow, especially for large vehicles, near the busy I-85 Exit 27 at S.C. 81. The Orange Way Extension will also open potential development along the new road. The extended exit ramp will allow for a safer and longer turn lane from the interstate onto S.C. 81.

The annual Great Anderson County Cleanup month begins Monday, with a kickoff event scheduled April 6 at the county’s 1428 facility on Pearman Dairy Road.

“This is just one more step in our role in completing the development of Dolly Cooper Park,” said Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns.

“I think this is becoming a popular destination for people to live,” said Honea Path Mayor Christopher Burton, who offered other news and updates in his interview with the Anderson Observer.

Flowers are in full color on the town square in Iva, where Spring is also a witness to blooming economic growth downtown and in areas surrounding the town.

On Thursday, New Foundations Home for Children celebrated their 50th year of providing care for adolescents and families in a safe environment where the two groups are kept connected when possible.

Mayor Rockey Burgess outlined the town’s progress in this Spring 2024 update for the Anderson Observer.

In the April 2 City of Anderson municipal elections, Anderson businessman Bryce Nivens and Anderson attorney Greg Steele are running for Seat 6, which represents an area that stretches from West of Linley Park, through the Pope Drive community, across to Whitehall Avenue. City Council Seat 6 was left open when Rick Laughridge stepped down after 16 years.

The exhibit and opening celebration are free to the public and will run through May 25.

Anderson City Council gave final approval on Monday to annexation of 43 acres on Crestview Road which will be home to 94 lots and will include a 50-foot buffer along Crestview. While some on council expressed concerns on traffic in the area, the roundabouts which are scheduled to be in place by the end of 2025 should keep traffic flowing. Details here.

Anderson First Baptist Church’s Baraca Class, the word is Hebrew for “blessing” or “blessed,” was part of a national movement begun in 1890 to get men involved in Sunday School. By the 1930s the movement reached First Baptist in Anderson, where it became not only a local favorite, but a radio program which would air for the next eight decades to provide those unable to attend services to be part of a church.

By noon hundreds of families were on hand to allow the kids to get up close and personal with a variety of big trucks and heavy equipment, including fire trucks, law enforcement vehicles, construction equipment, agricultural machinery, as well as meet the men and women who build, protect, and serve Anderson County.

This year, 200 students from 13 states gathered for the event, which included a public speaking contest, the S.C. 4-H and FFA Dairy Judging Contest, the FFA Dairy Handlers Contest, a dairy heifer sale and a fun night for the youth.

The Belton Area Museum Association gets back to nature in their new exhibit, “Natural Connections,” which opens Sunday with a kickoff event Sunday from 3-5 p.m. at the Belton Train Depot Museum.

After the 69-32 vote, the bill faces one more routine approval before heading to the Senate, where leadership has been more dubious about going ahead with the court case hanging over the education voucher program. But Senate leadership hasn't shut the door on expansion.

Filing for the June 11 primaries opened Saturday, and so far 26 candidates have filed for the partisan elections, and at least one has declared intentions to file before the end of the week.

See the Observer’s March 16 story for more details and interviews here.

Anderson County Council approved a contract for King Asphalt, Inc., to take care of a number of road paving projects, mainly in the Williamston area. The $2.5 million contract will be paid for with C-Funds, money collected as the county’s part of the state gasoline tax, for road paving.

The entrance will remain accessible to pedestrian traffic to Church Street Heritage Plaza and other area destinations.