While it’s not an official national holiday, Juneteenth is now a state holiday or a day of observance in most states and the District of Columbia, with only Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire, and the Dakotas holding out. For those that do celebrate, parades will take place around the country, including in New York, Texas, and Philadelphia, and communities across the country will host barbecues and picnics to celebrate the historic event.

The summer program provides a meal every Friday at each location. The two Anderson Rotary Clubs are also providing volunteers for the effort.

“Just because the kids take a break for summer, does not mean hunger takes a break,” said Sarah Ann Bannister, Director of Resource Development at AIM. Bannister said providing a meal, fresh fruit and books over the summer reminds the kids in these neighborhoods they are not forgotten about.

The budget includes funding for an additional 13 officers for the new detention center (now under construction), the additional funds for the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department to continue to offer completive salaries, an increase in funding for Tri-County Technical College, funding for the Anderson County Library System and a three-percent raise for all county employees.

The newly formed Anderson County Capital Projects Sales met for the first time Monday to help educate and engage public support for a one-cent Capital Projects referendum aimed at generating funds to repair and maintain the county’s aging roads and bridges.

Deputy Anderson County Administrator Matt Hogan said decades of neglect and lack of sustained funding has created a great need for revenue to take care of roads and bridges.

“We’re wanting to get as involved as we can in the community and being as supportive as we can for all our businesses,” said Greer. “We’re looking forward to more business roundtables and other events to listen to our businesses and see what they need.”

“We just want to serve our businesses the way we should,” said Greer.

Anderson County Council will give final vote to a $331,856,570 million fiscal year 2025-2026 budget on Tuesday, one which includes additional officers for the new detention center, added resources for the solicitor’s office and no millage increase for citizens.

More than two dozen volunteers, young and old, wearing gloves and carrying gardening tools answered the call of the Town of Pelzer on Saturday morning to restore and expand beautification projects damaged by vandalism under the cloak of darkness earlier this week.

"I'm here, man, just to speak up for those that don't have a voice,” said Will (not his real name). "They're those that are too afraid to speak up. I'm here supporting our immigrants and my people have been suffering for such a long time and what they're doing now is just borderline inhumane. This is much more than just a political issue. This is an issue on humanity itself. We have to be here for each other and those like us that are Latin Americans that were born here."

“We’re showing up (in Pendleton) to be part of a community and to counter the spectacle in Washington, D.C., with a show of community activism and support,” said Erin Goss, of Indivisible Clemson, the organizer of the event.

The rally will take place entirely at the Village Green and on public sidewalks and will be accessible to those with limited mobility. For more information email: IndivisibleClemsonArea@pm.me

Ragland said the flowers had received overwhelmingly positive comments on the flowers, with the exception of a few naysayers who were unhappy with everything.

Early voting will end July 11.

Three candidates are seeking the Honea Path mayor’s office, after former mayor Christopher Burton stepped down April 15 citing his increased work load as assistant professor of technology at Greenville Technical College.

The new law authorizes cities to set their own laws on where and when golf carts can be driven, and requires seatbelts for all passengers under the age of 12. Counties are now also allowed to pass ordinances allowing golf carts with headlights and rear taillights to be driven at night.

Golf carts can be driven by those least 16 years old who hold a valid driver’s license with a permit during daylight hours on public roads where the speed limit is 35 mph or less.

The company’s plans are to construct the facility on nearly 200 acres located on Highway 81 South near True Temper Road close to Starr. The site is advantageous and would use existing transmission infrastructure nearby to provide about 1,400 megawatts of electricity to support the homes and businesses of a rapidly growing region and state. The innovative design of the facility would also significantly reduce the need for large amounts of water, creating less burden on the county’s infrastructure.

“Anderson County has a long history of working with Duke Energy, more than 100 years, and we look forward to continuing this partnership for the good of the county and the state of South Carolina,” said Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns.

The count found there were 151 chronically homeless people in the county, those who are experiencing continuing homelessness over an extended period of time. That number was up dramatically from the 44 identified in 2024.

The count also found the following as the main barriers to finding stable housing: physical or mental health challenges; financial challenges; criminal history; family conflict; eviction history; lack of affordable housing; education; missing documentation; personal choice to remain homeless; dealing with trauma; and drug abuse disorder.

The festival, the largest of its kind in Powdersville, featured a full football field full of events for kids, craft vendors, food trucks and live music.

Vets Helping Vets of Anderson’s “Lost City Regatta” welcomed a fleet of cardboard boats and their crews and others Saturday to the Shores of Asbury as part of an event featured food, live music and a pirate costume contest all for a good local cause.

VHVA began as a community of 14 Veterans who were suffering from PTSD. When the Veterans Administration, which facilitated meetings to aid these veterans, discontinued the meetings in 2014, local veterans met the challenge and not only found a new place to meet but saw the need to expand services and support for their brothers and sisters who served the nation.

Around 200 kayaks were in the water to paddle the 9-mile stretch of the Saluda River, which takes approximately 3-5 hours, and debarks in Piedmont.

Proceeds from the event support the Area 14 Anderson Special Olympics.

The task force identified the need for more shelter beds in Anderson County. Currently, Anderson has the highest percentage of unsheltered homeless people. This represents 78 percent of the homeless population in the area. Meanwhile, Spartanburg County has three times the number of shelter beds as Anderson and even Oconee County has more shelter beds.

Thomas Garrison, a multi-generation farmer in Anderson County, said he believed the hype around hemp.

Garrison, who’s farmed in Pendelton since graduating from Clemson in 1980, was among the group who pushed for a 2017 law that allowed farmers in the state to grow hemp, a plant that’s the same species as marijuana but lacks the THC that gets people high.

Despite being one of the state’s hemp pioneers, he abandoned the crop after just two seasons. He didn’t even seek a permit in 2020. Garrison told the SC Daily Gazette his venture into hemp was probably the worst in his 45 years as a farmer.

Old-school country music performer Jamey Johnson is making a stop in Anderson Sept. 4 at the Anderson Civic Center as part of his national “Last Honky Tonk” tour.” It’s the only South Carolina stop on the tour. Tickets are available now at www.andersonevents.com 

“The civic center will be transformed into a Honky Tonk for the night,” said Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns. “This is a great concert win for Anderson and offers a great night out for fans.”