The Anderson Free Clinic's "Festival of Trees" holiday tradition is set for Nov. 20-23 with a series of events at Bleckley Station for 2024

Volunteers from across the community have decorated trees to make them available for auction in plenty of time for hall decking this holiday season. The holiday collection is a philanthropic celebration benefiting The Anderson Free Clinic which provides a healthcare home for the uninsured and underserved population in Anderson County, including those with long-term health issues, or dental/vision needs.

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AIM has joined forces with Foodshare and Anderson School Dist. 5 to offer fresh, healthy food for those who do not have access or financial resources to eat healthy on a daily basis.

The school district is offering a no longer used food distribution center to store the fresh produce in a large refrigerator to allow for larger distribution.

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Anderson County citizens are showing up big in early voting.

Polls opened Monday at four locations in the county for early in-person voting.

In the first two days, a total of 8,724 voted in Anderson (5,192), Pendleton (1072), Honea Path (834) and Powdersville (1,626).

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Legislative momentum against PFAS has surged this year, as at least 11 states, but not South Carolina, enacted laws to restrict the use of “forever chemicals” in everyday consumer products or professional firefighting foam.

The legislation includes bans on PFAS in apparel, cleaning products, cookware, and cosmetic and menstrual products.

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Pendleton’s 13th Annual Scarecrow Contest is featuring characters from mythology and folklore , with a few fun exceptions.

The winners will be announced at the Pendleton Fall Harvest Festival Oct. 26.

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The Salvation Army of Anderson is joining the group’s efforts helping in Western North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene by providing food, emergency relief, and other services to survivors and rescue workers.

Maj. Joseph Irvin and volunteers from Anderson will be in Western North Carolina until Oct. 30 to help

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Early voting for the Nov. 5 general elections is under way and Anderson County voters are being asked to vote on a referendum calling for a penny sales tax on all goods purchased in Anderson County to fund roads and bridges.

A third of the county’s roads are rated poor or failing and 57 of 162 bridges cannot be used by school buses or fire trucks.

Currently 42 the state's 46 counties have a similar tax or fee structure to fund roadwork.

A penny sales tax, which excludes groceries, would generate more than $350 million for road/bridge repair, with more than 35 percent to be paid by those driving through or visiting the county, thus spreading the burden more equitably.

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Jessicka Spearman is a candidate for the South Carolina Senate, Dist. 3.

Spearman is a Licensed Professional Counselor and earned a Master’s in counseling.

Her community activities include founding president of PFLAG in Anderson, Founder of Anderson Reads, and is an advocate for community service.

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Anderson County hosted a free fall fish fry on Saturday as a way of building community through free events.

Anderson County Councilman Glenn Davis, Dist. 2, who put together the event, said such gatherings were a way to show the community they are not forgotten.

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David Blanding is a candidate for the Anderson Board of Education, Dist. 9 seat.

Blanding earned a Master’s Degree in Technology Management, and a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering technology.

Blanding said his community activities include work with the Anderson County Board of Education, former Dean of Anderson Congress of Christian Education of the Rocky River Baptist Association, Board of Directors at the Westside Community Center, Deacon at the Evergreen Baptist Church. Spend time engaging with students at local high schools and alternative schools when asked

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John P. Griffith is a candidate for Anderson School Dist. 5, Area 7.

Griffith is a managing partner of Smith & Griffith, LLP, Law Firm and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, is a graduate of U.S. Army Military Police School, and earned a Doctor of Law from Loyola University.

He has served on the Dist. 5 School Board since 2012, is a member of First Presbyterian Church and the Gideons International, and a former board member of Big Brothers/Big Sisters and a YMCA youth soccer and football coach.

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Tripp Dukes is a candidate for School Trustee, Dist. 5, Area 7.

Dukes earned a Master’s Degree in Education Administration from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Newberry College.

Dukes is a retired former principal and assistant superintendent for Anderson School Dist. 5.

He said his community activities include work with the S.C. Association of School Administrators, Furman Consortium, Anderson/Oconee/Pickens Professional Development Committee, YMCA Board, Anderson First Tee Planning Committee, Rotary Club and Kiwanis.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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