New subdivisions are under construction in Williamston as demand for housing continues in one of the county’s fastest growing towns. The growth brings challenges, including infrastructure.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation is behind on plans to repave the main street running through town, S.C. 20, but still plans to begin the work within the year. Another five roads are slated for paving, and others are in the queue.

But did you know local citizens can inadvertently cause professional anglers to be disqualified from a tournament? Offering advice or tips on top fishing spots to the pros at any lake is strictly forbidden. This means a local attempting to be friendly with conversation when seeing a top professional angler at a restaurant or gas station, can lead to trouble.

It’s a common challenge on public lakes hosting professional tournaments. Two professional fishermen were disqualified from a tournament earlier this year for such a violation. So, in addition to the common courtesy on the lake of providing the pros a 100-yard buffer, remember to keep any conversations to non-fishing location topics.

One of the amendments approved Wednesday would give every legislator an $18,000 pay raise.

By a vote of 24-15, senators voted to increase legislators’ monthly allotment for “in-district compensation” from $1,000 to $2,500 — in other words, from $12,000 to $30,000 annually.

That’s in addition to their salaries of $10,400 a year, which hasn’t changed since 1990, and their stipends for meals and lodging as well as mileage while they’re in session. It all comes out to roughly $40,000 a year, depending on how far they live from the Statehouse.

The Anderson Soirée returns this weekend with the event’s second national headliner act downtown, Country Music Star Clay Walker Friday at 7:30 p.m., joining the city’s signature arts festival which will feature local artists, food, a children’s area and two days of music on multiple stages across downtown.

Saturday night’s headline concert is scheduled to feature The Swingin’ Medallions at 8 p.m.

Twenty-one middle and high school students from all five school districts were recently honored by the Anderson County Human Relations Council (HRC) for their efforts to promote acceptance and diversity within the school community. Students, their families, school and government officials were treated with an award dinner and presentation ceremony at the Anderson Civic Center in Anderson.

With an expected growth of almost 20 percent in the next five years, Honea Path is working to prepare for growth.

Interim Mayor Jim Taylor, who grew up in Honea Path, said he’s met people from across the country who have relocated to the town, and welcomes the newcomers.

Taylor, who is serving as interim mayor after Christopher Burton stepped down last week, has no designs on the position and said he will not run in the July 1 special election.

Anderson School Dist. 5 will have four new principals in the fall.

Three new elementary school principals and one new middle school principal were approved by the district’s board of trustees on Tuesday.

Three of those chosen are currently employed within the district, having been promoted from within, while one is from another county. All will begin their new positions for the 2025-26 school year.

With potential for major new housing projects, commercial development and successful events, the City of Belton is looking for some major announcements by Summer.

The Caroline Community Center in Williamston celebrated Founders Day Saturday, with a tribute to those who made the center a hub for community engagement, support, and activity for residents of all ages.

The area of even more concern looking ahead is the intersection of the parkway at Concord Road, which is listed in the city’s comprehensive plan and prime for annexation and development.

Part of a more complicated issue on development standards, this story is developing. The City of Anderson, which passed new development standards in 2023 which are just going into effect with some of the new developments. Anderson County has hired a consultant to update and revise building and development standards countywide with the goal making such rules clear to the landowners and developers.

The Honea Path special election for mayor is set for July 15. Filing for the seat opens May 6 and closes May 20.  All candidate paperwork be completed and $100 filing fee must be paid at the Honea Path Town Hall.

The Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Anderson Class 40 is joining Vets Helping Vets of Anderson in their continued mission of serving local veterans in Anderson County and surrounding areas.

As part of the initiative, Class 40 will assist with enhancements to the group’s new building near Bleckley Street and contribute to the creation of visual and physical displays that honor the organization’s mission through hands-on service, collaboration, and outreach.

Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto of Orangeburg introduced the resolution Tuesday extending “a formal invitation to the president of the United States to visit the plant and witness firsthand its impact on the Palmetto State and the nation.”

The invitation follows remarks by White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro on CNBC last week criticizing the German automaker because it imports many of the parts it uses in its X series vehicles built in Spartanburg County.

Citing increasing demands from his full-time job as assistant professor of technology at Greenville Technical College, Honea Path Mayor Christopher Burton stepped down Tuesday night during the regular council meeting.

Burton, who was elected in 2019, said he is proud of his accomplishments as mayor.

“This decision was not made lightly,” Burton told the council. “I believe it is in the best interests of the town and with my career and family in mind.

Dahl said while the demand for yards continues to grow, the rug business and overall home décor market has been depressed for some time and never really recovered after the COVID pandemic. Then came inflation, an election year and now tariffs to add to the challenge to produce and sell rugs domestically.

After 46 years in operation, Orian Rugs will produce its last rug by early summer.

Staff reductions have already been going on for several months, so the closing of the rug factory will mean the loss of approximately 30 jobs, some of whom might be transitioned to the yard division.

The internationally sanctioned event brought cooks from more than a dozen states to Belton to compete for a chance to go to the national championships in September.