Belton Standpipe Festival Set for Oct. 1

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Belton’s annual Standpipe Festival is set for Oct. 1, with music, arts and crafts, rides for the kids, food, a tennis tournament, a car show and a fireworks display.

The event begins at 11 a.m. downtown.

This year’s music features the Combo Kings, the Burns Brothers, Fish Out of Water and Belton native Nashville performer Margaret Haynie.

Between 11 a.m.-3 p.m. heritage artisans and historical re-enactors will provide demonstrations on blacksmithing, bee keeping, soap making, plowing, cheese making, pottery, handcrafted paper making, basket weaving, cooking over a campfire and more.

The annual Hall of Fame Tournament will feature the top high school girls’ tennis teams vying for the championship title and bragging rights at the City Tennis Courts from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. 

The Belton Area Museum, the Belton Arts Center, and the S.C. Tennis Hall of Fame will also be open during the festival.

The annual event is also the only day of the year the standpipe is open for tours from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The tour offers a rare look at the inside of the standpipe.

The Standpipe Festival will conclude with a fireworks show set to begin at 3:30 p.m.

Mayor: Honea Path Fall Filled with Events, Progress

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Honea Path welcomed new businesses during the past few months, and is gearing up for a busy fall.

Mayor Christopher Burton talked about economic development, events and more in this interview with the Anderson Observer.

Council Oks Firm to Design New Detention Center

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Anderson County Council approved the Mosley Architeture firm to design the new detention center to replace the old jail built in 1956.

The new facility should be ready for use in three years.

Anderson County Council Vice Chairman Brett Sanders recapped Tuesday's meeting for the Anderson Observer.

Successful Events, Busy Fall Mark Growth in City of Belton

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Belton has wrapped up a busy summer of events and economic news and is getting ready for a good fall.

This kicks off with the Oct. 1 Standpipe Festival and concludes 2022 with the annual Christmas tree lighting, hall of fame ceremony and Christmas parade.

Mayor Eleanor Dorn discusses these and breaks down other news from Belton in this interview with the Anderson Observer.

Report: Anderson Rent Prices Third Fast Growing in U.S.

Observer Reports

It's no secret that Anderson has seen a spike in rental housing over the past year. But Dwellsy, a home rental platform where renters can find houses, townhomes, condos, and apartments—for rent, lists Anderson as third in the largest increase in rent prices between 2021 and 2022, a staggering 117.8 percent. The median monthly rent price in the city is now $1,960.

The population growth, popularity of the reason and short supply of rental properties are among reasons for the increase.

Greenville is ranked sixth with increases of 85.7 percent.  Story developing...

Rank	Metropolitan Statistical Area	Median August 2022 Asking Rent	Change in Rent Since August 2021
1	Tucson, AZ	$1,980	124.0%
2	Springfield, MO	$1,590	123.0%
3	Anderson, SC	$1,960	117.8%
4	Kansas City, MO-KS	$2,230	112.4%
5	Austin, TX	$2,930	86.3%
6	Greenville, SC	$1,950	85.7%
7	Greeley, CO	$2,350	80.9%
8	Fort Collins, CO	$2,730	70.6%
9	Myrtle Beach, SC	$2,365	67.1%
10	Winston-Salem, NC	$1,580	64.1%

Poll Workers Needed for November Elections

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

The Anderson County Board of Voter Registration and Elections needs your help.

Election workers are needed for the the Nov. 8 general elections.

The work offers a paid opportunity to get to perform a civic duty and get to know the community. 

South Carolina will pay a total of $135 for Poll Managers to work on election day, whcih breaks down to $60 for attending a mandatory training session and $75 for working on election day. Clerks for the polling location receive an additional $60 for a total of $195. 

Requirements:

1. Must be a registered voter in Anderson County or an adjoining county, or students 16-17 years of age, and remain non-partisan on Election Day. 
2. Go to https://www.scvotes.gov/poll-manager-information and click apply to be a Poll Manger. You can also call our office at (864) 260-4035, or email hgtreffeisen@andersoncountysc.org.
3. Precinct Coordinator, Hannah Treffeisen, will reach out to you once she has received your application 

Elections Office Encouraging Voter Registration before November Elections

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

The Anderson County Voter Registration and Elections Office is spreading the word encouraging those you have not registered to do so before the November elections.

Tuesday is national voter registration day, and there is still time to register in time to vote. The downtown office will be ready from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. for the special event.

The easiest way is to register is online at SCVotes.gov, but in-person registration at the downtown Anderson office or at the Powdersville Branch of the Anderson County Library is also availble. The in-person deadline to be eligible for November is Oct. 7. The online deadline is Oct. 9 and the mail-in application must be postmarked by Oct. 11.

SCVotes.gov is also the most comprehensive place to find your voting precinct and find a sample ballot for your voting district.

In May, South Carolina approved early voting, which means voters can vote at the downtown office or in Powdersville from Oct. 24 through Nov. 5. Early voting requires a photo ID.

In local elections, Anderson County council only two seats are contested, Dist. 2, where incumbent Glenn Davis will face Democratic Challenger David Standard, and Dist. 7, where incumbent Cindy Wilson will face Democratic Challenger Mark Powell.

In the race for S.C. House Dist. 7, incumbent Rep. Jay West, R, will face Democratic Challenger Chris Salley.

Republican Don Chapman will face Democrat Ernest Mackins and Alliance Party Candidate Jackie Todd for the House S.C. House Dist. 8 seat.

Republican Incumbent Anne Thayer will face Democrat Judith Polson in the S.C. House Dist. 9 race.

A complete list of nonpartisan candidates can be found here.

Executive Director Laura Robinson Booth talks about details and deadlines with the Anderson Observer. 

For a complete list of cadidates, including school board races, watch the Anderson Observer in the days ahead.

Anderson County Voter Registration and Elections Executive Director Laura Robinson Booth talks about details and deadlines for the November with the Anderson Observer in this short inteview.

Council Likely to Choose Architecture Firm for New Jail Tuesday

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Anderson County is expected to announce the architect for the new detention center as part of Tuesday's regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the historic courthouse downtown.

County council over the past week has heard presentations from three groups who responded to requests for proposals. Once a design is approved, the new jail will be built on the current detention site. 

The proposed $55 million detention center will replace the aging and overcrowded current structure which was built in 1956 and is more than 200 percent over capacity. Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns said the new facility will be built with growth and expansion in mind to avoid the current situation being an issue for the county in the decades to come.

Once approved, the design and approval is expected to take close to a year and construction between 14-18 months.

At the scheduled 6 p.m. honors cermony Tuesday, county council will recognize the accomplishments of the Palmetto High School NJROTC, the Star-Iva girls softball Dixie World Series champtions and present an award from the South Carolina Firefighters Association.

Full agenda here.

Walk to End Alzheimer’s Set for Sept. 24

Observer Reports

The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® is scheduled for Sept. 24 beginning at 9:45 a.m. on the AnMEd Health North Campus on S.C. 81 N. Registration will be at 9 a.m.

The goal of the event is for participants to honor those affected by Alzheimer’s

There is no fee to register for the Walk, bur all participants are encouraged to raise funds that will allow the Alzheimer’s Association to provide 24/7 care and support and advance research toward methods of prevention, treatment and, ultimately, a cure. 

To register or donate for this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, visit: alz.org/walk. 

In South Carolina there are more than 95,000 people living with the disease and 199,000 caregivers.  

Nationwide more than 6 million Americans are living with the disease – a leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, more than 11 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

West Pelzer Meeting Challenges of Growth with Planning

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

West Pelzer, "The Upstate's Front Porch" has seen a number for local businesses and an uptick in housing starts as the town plans for the years ahead.

Mayor Blake Sanders discusses theses and other news about the town in this interview with the Anderson Observer.

New Industrial Spec Building Announced on Easley Highway

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Gray Development, a Kentucky-based industrial real estate development company has announced theconstruction of a new 408,000 square-foot speculative building on a 38-acre parcel of land along I-85 at 1810 Easley Highway in Anderson County.

Gray is credited with many successful South Carolina based projects, as well as several taking place in Anderson. Most notably, Gray Construction built two projects for Michelin North America in the area.

New Jail, New Jobs, New Stage Mark County Growth

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Anderson County Adminstrator Rusty Burns offers updates on the economy, events, building projects (including the new detention center), parks and othe programs in this September update with the Anderson Observer. 

Belton Museum Features Art from Repurposed Materials

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

The Belton Area Museum's latest exhibit, "What's Old is New Again," features the work of local artists and their work created from repurposed materials.