The plan, which has been in the works for more than two years, has included bringing in a consultant to help gather community consensus and public input to craft a vision for the future of the city, said Maurice McKenzie, planning and development director for the City of Anderson.

Land use, roads and upgrades to facilities top the news in Anderson County this week, and Administrator Rusty Burns expects even more activity in the months ahead.

Council also approved:

Annexation of .57 acres at 1212 Reed Road, which is owned by Concord Baptist Church. The land will be used for a new childhood education center.

The purchase of a new generator for the Rocky River Station. The current there was damaged during Hurricane Helene and more than 35 years old, so council approved a $148,200 bid from Blanchard Energy, Greenville to replace pump. Funding will come from the city’s sewer fund and council is applying to FEMA to pay for 75 percent of the cost of the new pump.

The move, which seeks to bring all starting teacher salaries in the state to a minimum of $48,500, would affect only one of the five school districts in Anderson County. School Dist. 1 currently pays starting teachers $47,900, but officials there say that will increase beyond the new minimum state proposed salaries in the coming school year. Dist. 2 currently pays teachers right out of college $50,002, Dist. 3 $49,320, Dist. 4 $49,313 and Dist. 4 $50,000.

Anderson City Council will vote on Monday to apply for state tax credits tax under the South Carolina Textiles Communities Revitalization Act to restore and rehabilitate the 4.5-acre site that was home to the Townsend Mill Cotton Mill property.

The site, which borders Bleckley Street, Lee Street, West Mauldin and First Avenue is owned by Fairway Development Partners, LLC, seeks to develop the site for residential use.

The play wastes little time inviting the audience to choose the killer. But as in all of Christie’s work, everyone is a good suspect and deceit, lies, secrets and misdirection lurk around every corner. As suspects drop one by one, there are false clues, visual misdirections and sleight of hand action to cast suspicion and doubt on all.

Anderson School Dist. 5 approved a motion on Tuesday, pending legal review, to become the first district in the county to pay board members. Board members will be paid $300 per month, and the board chair will receive $350 per month if the process clears review.

Local sponsors, Hill Elective and Robert Rainey have paid to rent the theater for the event, which is limited to the first 200 who register for a free ticket. Tickets here. The Salvation Army of Anderson, Hope Missions of the Upstate, Family Promise, South Main Chapel & Mercy Center, The Lot Project, Asher House and the United Way of Anderson County after the film will briefly address efforts to help ease homelessness and find affordable housing in Anderson.

Eastern Engineered Wood Products announced today plans to bring 31 new jobs and a $18.7 million investment to Belton for a new regional distribution center.

A wholesale distributor of engineered wood products, the new distribution center, to be located at 110 Milliken Drive in Belton, will service lumber dealers and component manufacturers in South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee.

The original plan called for a 60-day countywide pause in allowing new housing developments over 25 housing units without additional approval of full council. The hybrid plan approved would allow each council member to choose whether to pause building in their district.

Sadlers Creek State Park is now one of 30 in South Carolina to offer charging stations for electric vehicles. Park visitors who pay admission fees will have free use of the chargers on a first-come, first served basis.

Little attention was given to the presidents on the wall except on their birthdays in February. Each year on Feb. 22 we had a lesson on Washington on his birthday, and the same for Lincoln on his Feb. 12 birthday each year.

Anderson County Council will vote on a plan to donate 24 properties to non-profit corporations to help improve the challenge of finding affordable housing.

The measure, which will require three votes to pass, will use $2.1 million of a grant allocated funds to address affordable housing for these projects.

Market Theatre’s presentation is not to be missed and runs through Feb. 24. Tickets here.

Though the plant is just across the county line in Greenville County, Anderson County economic development officials said automotive suppliers could benefit from the new factory.

Republicans in Congress have begun taking their first steps on the long and winding road that constitutes the budget reconciliation process.

GOP lawmakers plan to use the special legislative procedure to enact substantial changes to border security, defense, energy and tax law, as well as major spending reductions. If they succeed, there will be no Democratic votes needed.

On the way, Republicans have to jump through the many, many hoops that make up the reconciliation process and comply with its strict rules.

Erin Spainhour - daughter of Alex Spainhour, an influential art educator who led the Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium, and art educator Ellen Spainhour who taught at Westside High School - cannot remember a time when her life was not immersed in the arts.

It’s been more than a year since a pair of Anderson men took on the challenge of battling isolation and loneliness among men. It was during the COVID shutdown that Brock Elder was watching the AppleTV series “Ted Lasso,” that the idea was born.

Jo Carol Mitchell-Rogers is in the final stages of completing one of her greatest finished work: a legacy of art and art education at Anderson University.

Mitchell-Rogers Oeuvre includes not only countless creations of her own, but a hand in the work of hundreds of students over her near-four decades at the school.

The Friends of the Anderson County Library have opened a new online store to support the work and mission of the library across the county.

The group is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) and volunteer organization that provides advocacy and financial support county's library system. The Friends is governed by a volunteer board that meets monthly.