Anderson County Population Up 1,856 in 2015

Anderson County's population continues to grow, posting an increase of nearly 2,000 in 2015. 

In the most recent United States Census Bureau report, which was released today, Anderson County's population reached 194,692 residents for 2015, an increase of 1,856 since 2014. Since 2010, the county has added 7,569 residents. 

Anderson is now the ninth most populous county in South Carolina.

South Carolina now has 4,896,146 residents, up 63.664 from 2014.

For complete updated U.S. Census Bureau statistics for South Carolina counties, visit https://www.census.gov/popest/data/counties/totals/2015/index.html

SCDOT Meeting on Anderson Roundabouts Tonight

The South Carolina Department of Transportation will host a public information Thursday evening in Anderson to discuss the plan to add roundabouts, one at the intersections of Concord Road at Harris Bridge Road, and the other Kings Road at Brown Road.

The meeting will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the North Pointe Elementary School Auditorium, 3325 Highway 81 in Anderson

SCDOT engineers have proposed to rebuild Concord Road at Harris Bridge Road as a roundabout that will also realign Cathey Road as part of the intersection. Kings Road and Brown Road is also proposed to be reconstructed as a roundabout. 

Officials said the changes will “improve the operation, efficiency and safety of the intersections, thereby improving the level of service as well.”

The meeting is a drop-in format. Officials will be on hand to offer information and show blueprints.

Clemson Could Help Preserve Clemson Architecture

Clemson University is exploring a program that would allow faculty and students to help preserve Cuba's architectural heritage.

A news release from the school says students from the Warren Lasch Conservation Center in North Charleston and faculty from the Clemson-College of Charleston Graduate Program in Historic Preservation recently visited Cuba to talk about a possible partnership.

If the details can be worked out, faculty will return to Cuba later this year to work with Cuban educators, planners, architects and archaeologists to study and launch a pilot project in the Cuban city of Trinidad.

A report published about 16 years ago identified several categories of at-risk buildings in Cuba. They include buildings connected with agriculture and urban industry, wooden buildings and buildings from the 20th century.

S.C. Senate Wants to Set Up Refugee Registry

The South Carolina Senate has passed a bill setting up a registry for refugees that could be the first of its kind in the country if it becomes law.

The bill, which passed Wednesday and now heads to the House for consideration, would require all refugees to register with the state Department of Social Services. The information would be shared with state police. The bill holds the sponsor of a refugee responsible for damages if a refugee were to commit an act of terrorism.

Measures to make the registry public and ban any state spending on refugees were removed from the bill.

The National Conference of State Legislatures says South Carolina and New York are the only states that have proposed measures to register refugees.

Haley, SCDOT Director Want "Steady Stream" of Road Funding

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and state Department of Transportation Secretary Christy Hall held a news conference Wednesday to discuss road conditions and the bill to allocate funds for repairs.

Haley called the current system of fixing roads “political horse trading.”

She said heavily traveled roads with safety needs are not getting fixed because the money has been sent to pet projects. 

Haley has called for a new plan to create a steady stream of money for roads so lawmakers don’t have to search each year for funding. 

The governor wants a $400 million spending stream for roads.

AIM Connector Run Saturday

The Third Annual AIM Connector Run is scheduled for Saturday. The event will begin at 8 a.m. at Grady's Great Outdoors and feature a 1-Mile Fun Run and 5K and 10k races.

The one-mile fun run, 5K and 10K along the East West Parkway, will honor the memory of Dr. David Martoccia. Both the 5K and 10K are certified courses. All proceeds from the race support AIM, a local nonprofit celebrating its 25th year of service in 2015 that connects people with support, resources, and education so they can empower themselves to be self-sufficient (for more information and maps of the courses, please visit www.aimcharity.org/connectorrun.  

This is a chip-timed event with instant results.

To register for the event, viist here.

Gambrell, Burgess in Runoff for O'Dell's Seat

S.C. Rep. Mike Gambrell will face Williamston Town Councilman Rockey Burgess in an April 5 runoff to be the Republican candidate to fill the seat left vacant by the late S.C. Senator Billy O'Dell.

Gambrell was close to winning the seat outright with an unofficial 45.5 percent of the approximately 459 votes cast.

Burgess received 31.9 percent of the vote.

Greenwood City Attorney Tripp Padgett received 14 percent, while retired Anderson City Transportation Director Willie Day took 6.2 percent,  leaving Williamston resident Mark Powell with 2.3 percent.

S.C. House Approves 2 Percent Raise for State Employees

Advocates for state employees say a 2 percent cost-of-living raise in the House budget plan is helpful but not enough.

The South Carolina House voted 106-1 on Tuesday to designate an additional $17 million in its spending proposal to pay for raises beginning July 1. The plan advanced by the chamber's budget-writing committee provided 1 percent.

Ways and Means Chairman Brian White says the additional money is the best the House can do this year. It matches the cost-of-living increases the budget provides K-12 teachers.

Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter tried unsuccessfully to boost state employee raises to 3 percent or 2.5 percent.

Cobb-Hunter pointed to a state-funded report released in January that showed state workers are underpaid compared with their counterparts in other states and even local governments within South Carolina.

S.C. DOT Director Wants Funds for Primary Roads

The Department of Transportation director is urging legislators to spend money on South Carolina's crumbling primary highways, rather than send the money to the counties.

Secretary Christy Hall said in a letter to House members that the state's major, non-interstate highways are in a "state of crisis," with 80 percent of pavements statewide in disrepair. Hall says the lack of funding means those highly traveled roads are on a 24-year paving cycle.

The budget being debated in the House this week is expected to include about $400 million for roads. But the proposal sends $185 million of that to counties to fix less-traveled, secondary roads that don't qualify for federal matches.

The total includes $49 million for work already done, as it covers emergency road repairs after last October's floods.

Clemson Project Aims to Help Women Farmers in S.C.

Jennifer Stalford waited two years for an open spot with Annie’s Project, an educational retreat for women farmers hosted each year by Clemson University Cooperative Extension.

The wait was worth it. Stalford said she appreciated the small, intimate setting that allowed her to get expert answers to all of her questions on managing an agribusiness.

“I was able to implement things into my business before I even left,” said Stalford, who in 2011 started J and J Farms, a 60-acre tree and vegetable farm in York County. “I learned things that were absolutely pivotal for me; business aspects I just didn’t understand the importance of or didn’t even know existed.”

Clemson Extension is bringing the program to South Carolina for the fifth year May 4–7 at the Belle W. Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science in Georgetown. Space is limited and registration is due by April 11. Registration is available online.

Annie’s Project was founded in Illinois a decade ago and named for a woman who spent a lifetime learning to be an involved business partner with her husband, a farmer.

The four-day event includes educational presentations, networking opportunities and a tour of the Baruch Institute. Presentation topics cover financial management, marketing, social media, risk assessment, insurance, law, estate planning and more.

Presenters include representatives from Clemson University, Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP, AgSouth Farm Credit and ArborOne Farm Credit. Representatives from the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development program will participate in a panel discussion.

“What was attractive to me about Annie’s Project was it is everything all in one. This is stuff that I couldn’t find anywhere else,” Stalford said.

The share of U.S. farms operated by women has nearly tripled over the past three decades, from 5 percent in 1978 to 14 percent by 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Women are the fastest-growing segment in agriculture right now,” said Clemson Extension agent and Annie’s Project state coordinator Jennifer Boyles. “Some are looking for something new. They want to work with the earth. A lot of them are retiring from careers or they are receiving family land through estates. They are seeing that farming is very gratifying.”

To date, more than 75 South Carolina women have participated in Annie’s Project, Boyles said.

“They really get to know each other and network and bond,” she said.

Stalford remains in the contact with the members of her class. They support each other and offer business advice, she said.

Women from across the state attend. They’re diverse in age and background. Some are college students. Some are retired women. Some are professionals looking for new careers.

“We have a really diverse group,” Boyles said. “We’ve had three generations of a family come in together.”

The program is sponsored by Clemson Cooperative Extension, the S.C. Women’s Agricultural Network, ArborOne Farm Credit and AgSouth Farm Credit. Attendance costs $125, which covers all materials, meals and lodging.

For more information, contact Boyles at jbyles@clemson.edu.

Opinion: Green Pond Catches a String of Winners with Gracious Folks at FLW Tournament

By Greg Wilson, Editor/Publisher

As a grinning Professional Angler John Cox hoisted the FLW tournament trophy over his head Sunday afternoon, it was clear there was another big winner from the fishing event - Anderson County.  

I attended all four days of the event, and heard nothing but praise for Anderson, Green Pond and Hartwell Lake in the comments from the 168 anglers and co-anglers who took part in the event. 

“Hartwell Lake is a great place to fish,” said Cox after day three of fishing.  

Cox’s words were echoed throughout the tournament by his fellow anglers. Comments on the sheer number of big fish, the clear water, the mammoth size of the lake were the talk of all four days at the event when the pros returned from a day of fishing.

FLW and its pros were gracious and put on a strong, family friendly event all four days. I never saw one of the FLW professionals walk past a kid or family watching them return from a day a fishing who was not gracious to their fan base. From giveaways to praise from the stage, this was one bunch of professional athletes who seemed to appreciate their fans.

This was also clear from the events leading up to the FLW tournament at churches, sporting goods stores and other venues where pros were on hand to get to know the community outside a boat. 

Saturday’s FLW Foundation Fishing Derby for Special Olympic Athletes and kids was particular highlight of the week. I talked to Cody Meyers, who had the idea for the derby which he now takes to every FLW venue, and he one of his greatest joys on tour was being able to give back to the kids in the communities which host events. 

On of the few women on the FLW tour, Nicole Jacobs, agreed and spend her Saturday morning at Chris Taylor Park baiting hooks, encouraging those reeling in sticks to keep fishing, posing for pictures and hugging the special athletes who came out for the derby. 

Local Pro Roger Metz joined Myers and Jacobs, measuring each fish caught and walking the shore with encouragement. His enthusiasm was greeted with great delight.

This free event will be remembered by those who participated in the derby and their families, far longer than the big boats catching big fish in Hartwell Lake last week. 

It’s always good for the local economy when we bring in national events such as the FLW tour, which in just over a week pumped millions into Anderson County. But it’s much better when the investment by those groups coming is also felt in the community. FLW’s derby did exactly that.

I overheard the conversation of three pros, whose accents hinted they were not from the South,  walking to their trucks after day two of fishing, and one of theme said “I just love this lake.” 

We do too, and as word spreads, the lake will continue its rapid rise as one of the top bass fishing spots anywhere. 

And we all need to say thanks to FLW for not only running a wonderful tournament in Anderson, but for how you and your pros did it. We hope you’ll come back soon.

Neil Paul of the Anderson Convention & Visitors Bureau, who put together the FLW event this year, gets credit for a stellar job making sure the host facility left a good impression. Mission accomplished. Every FLW official I talked to expressed thanks for Paul for making the tournament run smoothly. 

And all of this is happening because there was a vision among Anderson County leadership to develop Green Pond into something more than just another a boat ramp. It worked. In the months ahead Green Pond will move into future phases of development and construction, making it an even more desirable national outdoor attraction. 

Such attractions are key to economic development efforts, where quality of life issues rank high for international companies looking for a place to locate in America. It is also a part of why Anderson County is first in the state in international investment with 50 companies from 23 nations already.

So the next time you hear someone ask why the county is spending so much time talking about Green Pond, you can tell them they are catching jobs.

Kid Venture Raising Funds with T-Shirt Sale

A committed group of local citizens are continuing efforts to improve Anderson's Kid Venture Playground at Chris Taylor Park at the Anderson Civic Center.

The playground, which is now more than 20 years old, is in serious need of a reboot, and that's why Friends of the Park Kid Venture 2.0, led by the efforts of Julia Woodson, began last year to totally upfit the facility.

"The current Kid Venture Park is not ADA compliant and has a number several safety concerns," Woodson said.

The group has partnered with Rotary Club of Anderson and Anderson County to both to raise funds to upgrade equipment and grounds at the park.

Current fundraising efforts include a new t-shirt, advocating local involvment and change. The shirts are $15, and available at https://www.booster.com/kidventureplayground

The next communitywide cleanup day is June 11.

Voters Go to Polls Tuesday to Fill Sen. Billy O'Dell's Seat

Voters will choose a GOP candidate Tuesday to fill the South Carolina Senate District 4 seat left vacant by the late South Carolina Senator Billy O’Dell. S.C. Dist. 4 Voting District

Five GOP candidates are vying for the post which covers parts of three counties including Anderson, Abbeville and Greenwood. Currently no Democrat has announced plans to seek the position, meaning the winner is likely to be the only candidate for the May 17 special election. 

Retired Anderson City Transportation Director Willie Day, Businessman and Williamston Town Councilman Rockey Burgess, S.C. Rep. Mike Gambrell, Greenwood City Attorney Tripp Padgett and Williamston Resident Mark Powell are all seeking to fill the seat.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday at four precincts in Abbeville County, nine precincts in Greenwood County and 41 precincts in Anderson County.