Posts by Brenda Stewart
Echoes & Insights: When the whistle blew, and what is rising now in Laurens County’s mill villages
August 17, 2026
AUGUST 2026 COLUMN Echoes & Insights: The Laurens County Series. Readers are invited to journey through the history of Laurens County, uncovering the stories, places, and people that have shaped…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: echoes-insights, headlines, on-the-move
Early voting opens Wednesday for U.S. Senate runoff
August 17, 2026
Three days at the election office in Laurens, then regular precincts on Aug. 25 Laurens County voters have three days of early voting ahead of the Aug. 25 special Republican…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: government, headlines, on-the-move, politics
Flock cameras: what they are and how Laurens County uses them
August 16, 2026
Flock cameras have been in the news a great deal lately. The automated license plate readers, made by the public safety company Flock Safety, have spread rapidly across the country,…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: headlines, law, on-the-move, public-safety
2026 football schedules set for Laurens County’s four high school teams
August 16, 2026
Friday night football returns to Laurens County this month as all four of the county’s high school programs open the 2026 season. Laurens District 55, Thornwell Charter School and Laurens…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: laurens-county-sports, on-the-move, sports
The SML Leadership Mailbag: how can I be sure I am ready to be promoted?
August 16, 2026
Editor’s note: The SML Leadership Mailbag is a recurring column. In each installment, leadership consultant Jon Antonucci answers a question from a reader navigating the realities of managing people. Have…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: advice, headlines, on-the-move
Summer artisan and farmers market returns to Barefoot Acres on Aug. 22
August 15, 2026
Shoppers looking for fresh produce, handmade goods and a morning on the farm will have both in one stop later this month when Buzzy Bee Market brings its Summer Artisan…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move
Squirrel scavenger hunt invites young visitors to explore Laurens County Museum
August 15, 2026
The Laurens County Museum is giving young visitors a new reason to look closely at its exhibits. Eight squirrels are hidden throughout the museum, and children are invited to track…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: education, non-profit, on-the-move
Elevate Upstate grant applications now open for Upstate community projects
August 15, 2026
Ten at the Top has opened the 2026 application cycle for its Hughes Investments Elevate Upstate grants, giving neighborhood groups, nonprofits, civic organizations and local governments across the region a…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move
Belfast Shooting Range closed until further notice
August 15, 2026
The Belfast Shooting Range in Laurens County is closed until further notice, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources announced. The closure takes effect Aug. 17 and stems from timber…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: headlines, on-the-move
Work has begun for the $1.68 Million Joanna Infrastructure Project – Signaling Investment in Community
August 15, 2026
Laurens County’s Joanna Sewer Rehabilitation Project represents a significant investment in the future of the Joanna community and demonstrates the shared commitment of Laurens County, the Laurens County and Water…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move, utilities
Laurens County receives $2.3 million for road improvements
August 15, 2026
At the beginning of 2026, Laurens County receivedapproximately $2.3 million from the County Transportation Committee (‘CTC’) to conduct road improvements on select Laurens County roads. These funds are provided by…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: government, headlines, on-the-move
Fountain Inn Fire Department earns SAFE designation making Fountain Inn the first city in Greenville County with both Police and Fire departments
August 15, 2026
The City of Fountain Inn is proud to announce that the Fountain Inn Fire Department has earned the Sexual Assault Forensic Excellence (SAFE) Designation, becoming only the second fire department…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: headlines, on-the-move
Norman carries Laurens County as he and Graham head to Aug. 25 runoff
August 12, 2026
Laurens County Republicans backed U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman over appointed Sen. Darline Graham in Tuesday’s special primary for the U.S. Senate seat left open by the death of Sen. Lindsey…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: headlines, on-the-move, politics
Data center moratorium advances as county attorney updates council on Cambridge Farms appeal
August 12, 2026
Laurens County Council met in regular session Monday, Aug. 10, at the Historic Courthouse, taking action on a data center moratorium, a responsible pet ownership ordinance and a change to…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: government, headlines, on-the-move
Clinton opens 2026 accommodations tax grant cycle for tourism projects
August 11, 2026
The City of Clinton will open its 2026 Accommodations Tax Grant Program funding cycle Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, giving local organizations a chance to compete for money that supports tourism…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: government, on-the-move
Touchdown Club kicks off 2026 season Aug. 20 with local head coaches
August 11, 2026
Football season is nearly here, and the Laurens County Touchdown Club is ready to get things started. The club will open its 2026 season Thursday, Aug. 20, at noon at…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: headlines, laurens-county-sports, on-the-move, sports
Laurens County Cancer Association to host “Living with Cancer” meeting Thursday
August 11, 2026
The Laurens County Cancer Association will hold its August “Living with Cancer” meeting on Thursday, Aug. 13, at 5 p.m. at 1337 Medical Ridge Road in Clinton. The gathering is…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: non-profit, on-the-move
Vendor applications open for Holiday Market at Barefoot Acres
August 11, 2026
Vendor applications are now open for the Holiday Market at Barefoot Acres, a festive day on the farm set for Saturday, Nov. 21, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Barefoot…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: festivals-special-events, on-the-move
Press & Pointer Coffee House sets Aug. 22 grand opening in downtown Laurens
August 11, 2026
Press & Pointer Coffee House will celebrate its grand opening Saturday, Aug. 22, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 103 E. Laurens Street on the public square in Laurens.…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move, retail
Chorale’s Sip & Sing set for Monday at Laurens County Museum
August 11, 2026
The Laurens County Chorale’s Sip & Sing is one week away, and organizers are encouraging area residents who have been thinking about singing with the group to make plans to…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move, the-arts
Laurens County launches official government Facebook page
August 11, 2026
Laurens County government now has an official presence on Facebook, giving residents a single place to find county announcements, meeting information and service updates. Public Information Officer Darbi Jackson announced…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: government, on-the-move
CSX railroad crossing on Springdale Drive to close for two days of maintenance
August 11, 2026
The railroad crossing on SC 56 (Springdale Drive) in Clinton will be closed to all traffic for about two days later this month while CSX Transportation carries out maintenance and…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: headlines, on-the-move
Joint Base Charleston renamed to honor late Sen. Lindsey Graham
August 11, 2026
Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, became Joint Base Lindsey Graham during a ceremony today to rename the installation after the late senator, Air Force veteran and South Carolina native son.…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: military, on-the-move
Flight of the Dove marks 21st year with 204 riders and more than $50,000 raised
August 10, 2026
VIA Health Partners – Laurens County’s 21st annual Flight of the Dove drew 204 registered riders to Clinton on Aug. 1 and raised more than $50,000 in support of hospice…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: health-care, non-profit, on-the-move, social-scene
District 56 2025–2026 State Assessment Results and Academic Achievement
August 10, 2026
The South Carolina State Department of Education recently released state assessment results for the 2025–2026 school year. South Carolina Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver has established two ambitious goals for…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: education, on-the-move
The man behind the counter: Clinton says goodbye to Hoyt Hanvey
August 10, 2026
Hoyt Hanvey, who spent more than five decades turning a small Clinton jewelry counter into the place where generations of Laurens County families marked their happiest moments, has died. Hanvey…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: headlines, on-the-move, social-scene
Clinton company builds the crates and pallets that keep the Upstate moving
August 10, 2026
Most people never think about the wooden platform under a shipment of parts or the crate protecting a piece of equipment on its way across the country. Scott Shiflet thinks…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: business-services, on-the-move
SCDNR and SCETV launch new conservation storytelling initiative with premiere of Into the Wild
August 10, 2026
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) has launched a new multimedia partnership with South Carolina ETV and Public Radio (SCETV) to highlight the people, places, and conservation efforts…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move
Community support puts a transport van at the Laurens County Animal Shelter
August 10, 2026
The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and the Laurens County Animal Shelter are thanking area residents, businesses and Laurens County Council for filling a need the shelter has carried for years.…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: headlines, law, on-the-move
C4 Ministries calls on Laurens County churches for prayer and support
August 10, 2026
C4 Ministries of Laurens County is asking churches across the county to stand behind its work with families at risk of losing their homes, as the organization heads into its…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: non-profit, on-the-move
Big Air Laurens WePLAY program gives homeschool families a weekly PE option
August 10, 2026
Homeschool, co-op and charter school families in Laurens County have a new outlet for physical education this school year through the WePLAY program at Big Air Laurens. The program is…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move
Polls open Tuesday in special Republican primary for U.S. Senate
August 10, 2026
Laurens County voters will join South Carolinians statewide at the polls Tuesday, Aug. 11, for the special Republican primary for the U.S. Senate. Polling places will be open from 7…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: headlines, on-the-move
From Curiosity to Discovery: Presbyterian College students showcase a summer of asking bigger questions
August 10, 2026
Summer Research Symposium highlights student scholarship while keynote speaker Tomeika Bennett challenges researchers to ask not what they want to become—but what problems they want to solve. The most important…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: education, on-the-move
The Vestibule to add online ordering and digital loyalty program
August 10, 2026
The Vestibule Coffee & Tea in Clinton will soon offer online ordering. The owner said the decision came after considerable hesitation. The concern was that ordering through a screen might…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move, retail
Laurens County Museum’s Festival of Trees returns for a second season
August 9, 2026
The Laurens County Museum is bringing back its Festival of Trees this holiday season and is inviting the community to help fill the museum with Christmas cheer. The display will…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move
Lander Students Receive Scholarships from Mays Endowment
August 9, 2026
The Greenwood County Community Foundation has awarded five Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Endowment scholarships to five students, four of whom are continuing their education at Lander University. The foundation, in…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: education, on-the-move
Coach Rhodes remembered as the heart and soul of Clinton High School
August 5, 2026
See photo gallery at end of article. For 65 years, the students of Laurens School District 56 could count on one thing: Coach Rhodes would be there. Bill Rhodes, 88,…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: education, headlines, on-the-move, social-scene
Capstone Church celebrates grand opening of new campus in Fountain Inn
August 5, 2026
The 14,000-square-foot expansion was thoughtfully designed to accommodate a growing congregation as well as serve the broader Fountain Inn community. Capstone Church officially opened the doors to its newly expanded…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move
Clinton council tables Cambridge Farms annexation
August 5, 2026
A standing-room-only crowd filled the Clinton City Council chambers Monday night, and after 16 residents spoke against the proposed Cambridge Farms subdivision, council tabled the annexation ordinance rather than take…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: government, headlines, on-the-move
Rave Energy of Laurens set to open behind GLEAMS
August 5, 2026
A familiar name in Clinton nutrition is expanding into Laurens. Rave Energy of Laurens will open at 221 W. Laurens St., Suite B-4, in the space behind GLEAMS, joining the…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: food, on-the-move, retail
Upstate Pregnancy Center to host diaper drive-thru in Laurens Aug. 11
August 5, 2026
Laurens County parents and guardians who could use help with diapers and wipes can pick up free supplies Tuesday, Aug. 11, when the Upstate Pregnancy Center returns to Laurens with…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: non-profit, on-the-move
Clinton police department hiring four officers
August 5, 2026
The City of Clinton Police Department is accepting applications for four police officer positions, the city announced July 30. Police Chief Michael Addison said the department is looking for people…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: government, law, on-the-move
Tax free weekend returns to South Carolina Friday
August 5, 2026
South Carolina shoppers will catch a break at the register this weekend as the state’s annual tax free weekend returns Friday. The 72-hour sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m.…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move
Tapestry throws “40 and Fabulous” party Friday
August 5, 2026
Forty years in business calls for a party, and Tapestry Inc. is throwing one. The Clinton boutique celebrates its 40th anniversary Friday, Aug. 7, from 4 to 7 p.m. with…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move
Sadler-Hughes Apothecary serves up a back-to-school treat
August 5, 2026
Backpacks, bus routes, early alarms. A new school year asks a lot of everybody, and a few weeks in is right about when the novelty wears off. Sadler-Hughes Apothecary has…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: education, on-the-move
Big Air Laurens adds Sunday meat and three lunch
August 4, 2026
Big Air Laurens is adding a new item to its weekend lineup, and this one has nothing to do with jumping. The trampoline park at 1500 W. Main St. announced…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: food, on-the-move
Laurens County SAFE Home seeks advocate to serve domestic violence survivors
August 4, 2026
Laurens County SAFE Home is hiring a full-time advocate to work directly with survivors of domestic violence across Laurens, Abbeville and Saluda counties. The private nonprofit provides comprehensive assistance programs…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: employment, non-profit, on-the-move
New insurance program aims to ease South Carolina liquor liability costs
August 4, 2026
A coverage option announced last month could bring relief to South Carolina bars, taverns and restaurants that have watched liquor liability premiums climb past what many small operators can afford.…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: hospitality, on-the-move
Clinton Art Gallery to showcase portraits in August exhibit
August 4, 2026
The Clinton Art Gallery will once again invite art lovers to enjoy a themed exhibit at its display space at 113 N. Broad St. “Let’s Face It,” an exhibit featuring…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move, the-arts
Clinton schools go head to head for a food truck lunch at back-to-school event
August 3, 2026
Clinton teachers have a reason to show up in force Aug. 13, and a free lunch is on the line. The City of Clinton will host its back-to-school event Thursday,…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: education, festivals-special-events, on-the-move
