Perfect fall weather greeted an estimated crowd of more than 3,000 revelers lined up across the entrance and wound down the path inside Mineral Springs Park in Williamston on Saturday for the town’s annual “Boo in the Park” Halloween event.

Julie Usherwood is a candidate for Anderson School Dist. 5, Area 1.

Usherwood earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Charleston and is Community Relations Director for the Anderson Area YMCA.

She is Vice Chair for Anderson School Dist. 5 Foundation and has served as the Chairman of Anderson Chamber of Commerce Leadership Alumni Association, past Board Member of Junior Leadership Anderson and past Board Member of Junior League of Anderson.

She has attended school board meetings and served as PTO Secretary, on the School Improvement Council and Booster Club.

Troy Haguewood is a candidate for the School District Five Area 1 Seat.

Haugewood earned Associate Degrees in both General Engineering and Engineering Graphics from Tri-County Technical College.

His community activities include serving in various capacities at Temple Baptist Church, including youth ministry and Awana ministry.

He said has attended school board meetings and has contributed to and volunteered for the Westside Athletic Booster Club.

Tripp Bouknight is a candidate for Anderson School Dist. 3, Area 2.

Bouknight is a business owner and auto technician and a graduate of Crescent High School.
He has been a member of the Dist. 3 School Board since 2016, served on the Renaissance Academy board since 2016, served as Regional Director of the South Carolina School Board Association and is an elder at Friendship Worship Center.

Mike Callahan is the retired CEO of CREG Systems, electrical engineer and computer scientist with a Master’s Degree in computer science. He is seeking the Anderson School Dist. 3, Area 2 Seat.

He said he has volunteered as a Reading Buddy at Flat Rock Elementary and is an active member of Unity Baptist Church, a volunteer fireman, a board of directors’ member for Mental Health in Anderson/Oconee/Pickens counties, on the board of directors for CREG Systems, and president of local Car club.

Dr. Ernest E. Mackins, a pastor and  professional educator of more than 20 years, has an earned Master's of Divinity degree and is a certified Global Career Development. He is seeking the Anderson School Dist. 5 At-Large Seat.

He has an earned Doctor of Professional Leadership in Education from Converse University, a Master of Divinity: Christian Leadership and Church Ministries and Master of Arts, High School Administration and School Leadership from Furman University. Master of Arts, Science Teaching (MAT), 5th-9th Grade from Clemson University, a Bachelor of Science, Marketing, Business Administration from Clemson, and an Associate of Arts from North Greenville University.     

Mackins said his community activities include: Church Pastor, Ebenezer Baptist Church, VFW Post 6089 Member-Senior Vice Commander, “where we serve the community in many areas, especially when it comes to feeding and clothing the homeless in our community, serving on the Board of Trustees for Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries, membership at Pleasant View Baptist Church, and as a United State Army Veteran (Desert Storm).

Mackins said he has and will continue to attend school board meetings.

He also said he has experience serving on PTO/PTA, as a booster, and as a volunteer in public schools.

Kristy Harrell Huskey is a candidate for the Anderson School Dist. 5 At-Large Seat.

Huskey earned a Ed.D. in Early and Middle Childhood Education.

She lists her community activities to include founding the Developmental Center For Exceptional Children/ Champion Center in 1974, project coordinator for the SC School for the Deaf and Blind and as a principal and a teacher. She also served for several years as a volunteer for the Good News Club at Whitehall Elementary, over 10 years as a Guardian ad Litem for foster children, and was on the board for the Department of Social Services for 10 years.  She also said she founded the Ann BB Academy in the Amputee Village in Makeni, Sierra Leone and is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, Moms for Liberty, New Heart Fellowship, and Worldwide Women’s Association.

Andy Patrick, owner of Attaway Printing, is a candidate for the Anderson School Dist. 5 At-Large Seat.

Patrick earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Erskine College and is a Westside High School graduate.

He said his community activities include current Board Chair for the Anderson Area YMCA, Past President of the Kiwanis Club of Anderson, T.L. Hanna High School Bass Fishing Coach, and is a member of First Presbyterian Church in Anderson. He was inducted into the Westside Athletic Hall of Fame in 2023.

Patrick is a current Anderson School Dist. 5 Board member and is involved in local schools as a booster club sponsor for both T.L. Hanna and Westside, and has experience serving on PTO/PTA.

Bill Thompson is a candidate for the Anderson School Dist. 5 At-Large seat.

A retired nuclear power reactor operator and full-time dad, Thompson earned an Associate of Science Degree in Nuclear Engineering Technology from Augusta Technical College.

Thompson includes among his community activities work with the Hunger For Hope Project and as A5 Citizen Expert. He has attended almost all school board meetings for the past two years and has spent time on in-person visits to his child’s classroom for observation.

Here are his answers to the Anderson Observer’s questions:

Eddie D. Mattison is a candidate for Anderson School Dist. 5, Area 3.

Mattison earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film/Video and is retired.

He lists his community activities as service to  Meals on Wheels, the United Way Homeless/Housing Project,  and Hope Missions of the Upstate.

Mattison has attended school board meetings.

Tommy Price is a candidate for Anderson School Dist. 5, Area 3.

Price is owner of Price Tax Service, LLC, and Price Driving School.

He earned a degree in Business Administration from Central Wesleyan College (now Southern Wesleyan University), Anderson College and is a graduate of Crescent High School.

He has served on the Anderson 5 Board of Trustees since 2012 and is current chairman, is on the Anderson Institute of Technology Liaison Committee, and has been the public address announcer for Westside High School Football since 2001 (and a 2023 inductee in the Westside High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Price is also a Board Member Centerville Volunteer Fire Department, Board Member Anderson County Accommodations Tax, Board Member Anderson Area Touchdown Club, President Hunters Glen Homeowners Association, and a member of the Anderson School Dist. 5 Steering Committee 2006.

T.L. Hanna 42, J.L. Mann 20 (Thursday)

BHP 48, Crescent 21

Westside 49, Fountain Inn 18

West-Oak 57, Pendleton 7

Powdersville 39, Palmetto 29

Wren 55, Laurens 3

S.C. Rep. Thomas Beach is a candidate for S.C, House Seat 10.

The Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce search committee is close to fining a new Chief Executive Officer, according to the board member and designated spokesperson for the group, Anderson Attorney John Raffini.

Early voting for the Nov. 5 General Elections begins Monday and continues through Nov. 2 from 8:30 am – 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday at the following locations:

Anderson County Board of Registration and Elections. 301 N Main Street, Anderson, SC 29621

Powdersville Branch Library. 4 Civic Court, Powdersville, SC 29642

Pendleton Branch Library, 650 S Mechanic Street, Pendleton, SC 29670

Watkins Community Center, 204 S Main Street, Honea Path, SC 29654

Anderson County Council gave final approval to tax incentives for SMF, Inc., a company bringing 89 jobs to County District 2 on Tuesday,

The average pay is more than $20 per hour and almost a third of the jobs pay more than $30 per hour. The move is important for the district in which it is located, one which has almost 14 percent unemployment.

Anderson City Council approved, on first reading, an $11.5 million bond issue for two recreation projects.

The funds will be used $5.65 million to finish Phase 2 of the Linley Park and $5.8 million for the upgrades to Cater’s Lake Park.

The center will be open today through Thursday from 9 a.m-8 p.m. to provide services to those in Anderson County and surrounding areas to both apply for assistance, follow up and provide referral services to voluntary organizations who offer a variety of services to survivors on applications already submitted. No appointment is needed.

The Market Theatre kicked off a Halloween offering this weekend, with “The Rocky Horror Show,” a mixture of horror, science-fiction and sexual coming of age story intended exclusively for an adult audience. This one is not for the kids.

The show is based on the movie of the same name which debuted in London in 1973 as a sendup of corny sci-fi films from the 1950s, the same fare “Mystery Science Theater” later tackled on cable television (which did not feature a transvestite host).

The festival combined the events with the annual Honey Soppin’, which kicked off the day with the spirited contest Saturday, with new winners in both categories.

Marty Fleming, who was upset in last year’s biscuit-and-honey-eating contest after years as reigning champion, regained his crown easily on Saturday to take home the $100 prize.