A new state law lets cities set their own rules for where and when golf carts can be driven on South Carolina’s roadways but requires a new rule for passengers: Children under 12 must buckle up.

As initially proposed, the bill authorized any county to pass an ordinance allowing golf carts with headlights and rear lights to be driven at night. The purpose was to expand on permission that a 2016 law gave only to certain barrier islands.

The rain forced the celebration inside, but Honea Path continued the town’s long tradition of honoring those who fell in service to the country with the annual Memorial Day Service on Monday.

A salute to those who died, with their names read one-by-one, a children’s choir, and a history of the Memorial Day celebration were part of the event held indoors at the Honea Path Watkins Community Center.

Today is Memorial Day, a time set aside to honor those soldiers who gave their lives in service to our country.

I was once among those calendar fundamentalists who made a loud and pointed distinction between Memorial Day and Veterans Day, but a couple of friendships decades ago changed my mind.

World War I: Robert Latham, Morge Hayes

World War II: Jerome Simpson, Melvin J. Green, James Martin, Loyd W. Watkins, James W. Loftis, Fred M. Newton, Theron J. Brown, James Carlisle Bryant, Lawton W. Smith, Walter T. Davis, Fred H. Werner, Aubrey J. Mcgill, Ira Eugene Wiles

Korean War: James W. Dunn, Bobby J. Smith

Vietnam War: Horace Jones, Clyde T. Martin, Melvin Bowman

The Cold War: Albert Glenn Dunse

Three local teams finished in the top 10: Emmanuel University’s Levi Seagraves Scooter Ligon finished fourth, Lander University’s Cole Taylor Clay Taylor came in seventh and Erskine College Lane Clark Tallis Morrison finished tenth.

Four ceremonies are set in Anderson County to remember the men and women who served this country in uniform and who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Services are set Sunday night at the memorial on the square in Iva at 6:30 p.m., and Monday at Richard Campbell Veterans Nursing Home’s Dolly Cooper Cemetery Pavillion at 11 a.m., in downtown Honea Path at 10 a.m. and Pendleton at 10 a.m. at Veterans Park.

South Carolina’s traditional K-12 public schools will receive a bigger share of new money in the coming school year under a compromise approved this week.

An adjustment in calculations ultimately shifted nearly $10 million of a $112 million sum from charter schools to traditional public schools, according to data provided by the state Department of Education. That’s part of roughly $4.5 billion total the budget sends to K-12 public schools.

Also included in the $14.7 billion spending plan advanced Wednesday is more than $500 million to fund projects at the state’s public colleges, plus a continued guarantee that tuition rates will remain frozen for in-state students.

The new Iva Branch of the Anderson County Library has relocated to a new, modern facility at 622 East Front St., directly across from the gazebo on the town square, and will hold its grand opening May 30 at 10 a.m. The totally renovated 4,000-square-foot space features an open layout, more room for books and computers, a large meeting room for community use, and plans for expanded programs like vocational training.

Noticed rapid growth in West Pelzer, Belton and Iva? One study has.

Anderson County has the three among the top 15 fastest-appreciating real estate markets, according to the Zillow Home Value Index.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House early Thursday approved the “big, beautiful bill” that Republican leaders spent months negotiating with centrists and far-right members of the party — two distinct factions that hold vastly different policy goals — over intense opposition from Democrats.

All six of South Carolina’s Republicans voted for the bill. The state’s lone Democrat, Rep. Jim Clyburn, voted “no.”

The 215-214 vote ships the package to the Senate, where GOP lawmakers are expected to rewrite much of it, before sending it back across the Capitol for final approval, a process likely to stretch through the summer.

Anderson County Council on Tuesday gave unanimous and final approval to a measure to protect waterways from runoff and pollution. All properties of 50 acres or less will require a riparian zone of 50 feet buffer and properties of greater than 50 acres a 100-foot buffer. A riparian zone is the transitional area between a body of water and the surrounding land. It's essentially the area where terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems meet, influencing both the soil, vegetation, and overall environment. River/stream banks and flood plains are among the areas impacted by the new ordinance.

One of the biggest annual tournaments at Green Pond Landing and Events Center will bring as many as 400 anglers to Anderson beginning Thursday for the Association of Collegiate Anglers 20th Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship.

This no-entry-fee competition, set for Thursday and Friday, will crown a national champion from the 200 teams in competition and distribute more than $30,000 in prizes. Triple points will also be awarded towards the prestigious Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.

The three-story, 134,621-square-foot facility, is being built on 46-acres off S.C. 153 near Easley. Construction on the hospital, made possible by $100 million in state funds, is expected to take approximately two years. The new location is licensed for 112 beds and will replace Prisma’s 65-bed Marshall I. Pickens Hospital, which was built in 1969.

The Civic Center of Anderson will host the Great Anderson County Yard Sale and Food Truck Rally Saturday from 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. with all proceeds benefiting programs and services in Anderson County.

The public is invited to this family-friendly event where visitors will be able to explore hundreds of yard sale booths and sample and dine with fare from some favorite local food trucks.

Anderson County officials were recently notified of a scam operation wherein a customer of the Planning Department received fraudulent invoices via email with instructions to wire payment to a particular web address.

The scam emails originated from an address with a “@usa.com” domain. Authentic emails from Anderson County will be from an “@andersoncountysc.org” domain. The Planning Department does not ask for wired transfers as payments.

Council meets at 6:30 p.m. in the historic courthouse downtown. Full agenda should be available tomorrow.

Distribution of vouchers will be held at the Anderson County Famers Market from 8-10 a.m. on the following dates:

Iva Farmers Market - June 4

Anderson Farmers Market - June 5

Belton Farmers Market - June 6

the bill has drawn criticism and worry from student advocates and congressional Democrats over how the proposed changes would impact higher education affordability and access.

The proposal in the U.S. House would allocate $5 billion a year in tax credits for people donating to organizations that provide private and religious school scholarships and is baked into the Ways and Means Committee’s piece of a massive reconciliation package to fund President Donald Trump’s priorities.

Issuing their third ruling on abortion since 2022, justices unanimously decided state law’s definition of “fetal heartbeat” — the sound of which makes an abortion illegal — applies to when an ultrasound first detects cardiac activity.

Attorneys for Planned Parenthood argued the ban that took effect in August 2023 should apply at nine weeks rather than six, since the heart doesn’t actually form until roughly the ninth week of pregnancy.