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.

Anderson County Council is expected to give final approval to a $1.25 million sewer bond for the Homeland Park Water Commission as part of Tuesday’s meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the historic courthouse downtown.

Ten states — Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia — have no working-class state lawmakers.

The board has agreed to rename the facility after one of the district’s most famous sons, Anderson native Chadwick Boseman. Boseman, who died of colon cancer in 2020 at age 43, attended McCants Middle School and T.L. Hanna High School (where he graduated in 1995).

The proposal allows the governor to appoint members to the screening panel for judicial candidates for the first time and requires all qualified candidates be sent to the General Assembly for elections up to a maximum of six.

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.

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 Cancer Association of Anderson is the only local cancer charity in Anderson County. Their mission is to help reduce the burden of cancer on Anderson County residents battling cancer by providing treatment-related financial assistance, information and referral as well as emotional support.

The budget passed 104-15. It faces one final routine vote Wednesday before heading for the Senate.

Summary of the current library situation in Anderson County.

Interviews:

SCDOT Tyke Redfearn

S.C. Sen. Mike Gambrell on expanding broadband

Francesca Milford, director of City of Anderson Shared Kitchen

United Way CEO Carol Burdette and Clubhouse International Joel Corcoran on a new mental health clubhouse

Stuart Sprague, Anderson Area Recognition and Remembrance Initiative

Noah Taylor, Founder and artistic director Market Theatre

Sybil Todd, Founder of White Knight Entertainment and Cosplay 

The 29 citizens who attended Monday night’s Anderson County Library board meeting were civil, and used their indoor voices at the first meeting of the board since Anderson County Council approved a resolution to add two-at large seats to the seven-member panel in the near future. (See story on application process here).

The application, found here, includes questions about employment history, ownership of property in the county, ownership of a library card, work/civic/volunteer service, and reasons for interest in the board.