Beauty from ashes
September 30, 2026
By Jeff Becraft Last weekend, I had the privilege of speaking at a weekend retreat for Black Mountain Home for Children. That is why there was no Friday email…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, on-the-move
GFWC Golden Strip and Upstate woman’s clubs partner to support Safe Harbor on International Day of Service
September 30, 2026
Volunteers from the GFWC Golden Strip Club and the GFWC Upstate Woman’s Club joined forces this past weekend to bolster shelter and transitional support for families rebuilding their lives after…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: life, non-profit, on-the-move
Mauldin Fire & Rescue to host place of worship safety workshop on Oct. 15
September 30, 2026
Local faith leaders and congregation safety teams will gather next month for specialized hands-on emergency training designed to safeguard houses of worship. Mauldin Fire & Rescue, in partnership with Pelham…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: festivals-special-events, life, on-the-move
RIZE Prevention brings Dinkin’ Donuts Pickleball Tournament back to Pickle Yard on Nov. 21
September 30, 2026
Local pickleball players and community supporters can get ready to rally for a cause as the annual Dinkin’ Donuts Pickleball Tournament returns to the Golden Strip this November. Hosted by…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: festivals-special-events, life, on-the-move, sports
Rise & Thrive women’s networking group to meet at Social Latitude on Oct. 12
September 30, 2026
Female entrepreneurs, professionals, and community leaders from across the Upstate will gather next month for a morning of collaboration and career inspiration. The Rise & Thrive Women’s Networking group will…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: entertainment, festivals-special-events, health-wellness, life, on-the-move
Medicare 101: Understanding Your Choices & What You Pay — Clarity hosts complimentary seminars
September 30, 2026
Choosing Medicare coverage isn’t simply a healthcare decision. Premiums, prescriptions, provider access and out-of-pocket costs can all affect a retirement budget—and some financial decisions made in retirement can influence what…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: education, financial-advisors, life, on-the-move
Puttin’ Out The Fire
September 30, 2026
By Tom Poland Sometimes It’s Healthier Not To “As night deepened all he could see was the shifting line of fire, like some malfunction in the wiring of the…
Read MorePosted in: beaufortcurrent, lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, golden-strip-news, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
JerryFest returns to Five Points October 4 for a free day of music, community and good vibes
September 29, 2026
A free outdoor concert held annually in Five Points will feature regional music acts, two stages, artisan vendors, a Lil’ Hippie Corner and more. JerryFest, a FREE outdoor concert annually…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: festivals-special-events, food, life, music, on-the-move, retail, the-arts
Simpsonville Elementary launches ‘SEAL Strong’ podcast to connect students, families, and classrooms
September 28, 2026
Simpsonville Elementary School has unveiled a new digital initiative aimed at bridging the gap between the classroom and the living room: SEAL Strong, an original school podcast designed specifically for…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: education, life, on-the-move
Mauldin High students bring spirit week celebration to Washington Center
September 28, 2026
Mauldin High School students took their annual spirit week celebration beyond their own campus halls this week, teaming up with students and staff at Washington Center for a high-energy, inclusive…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: education, entertainment, life, on-the-move
The 2026 Greater Cayce-West Columbia Chamber Holiday Parade of Lights being held December 12
September 25, 2026
Get ready to light up the streets for the 2026 Greater CWC Holiday Parade of Lights! Businesses, organizations, community groups, schools, families, and festive parade enthusiasts are invited to join…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: entertainment, life, on-the-move
Lee’s last campaign brought him to Columbia
September 25, 2026
After the war that made him one of the most admired military leaders in history, Robert E. Lee devoted what influence he had to guiding the South toward recovery, stability,…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, military, on-the-move
The best is not always easy
September 24, 2026
By Jeff Becraft A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to speak at the chapel service for Garden City Chapel. So Brenda and I went down to Garden…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, on-the-move
Local Horse encounter program offers free equine sessions for foster families of children with special needs
September 23, 2026
A new community outreach initiative is opening barn doors to local foster families caring for children with special needs, offering them an opportunity to experience the therapeutic benefits of horses…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: festivals-special-events, health-wellness, life, non-profit, on-the-move, the-arts
Portion of east college street closed through September for Simpsonville streetscape project
September 23, 2026
Ongoing infrastructure improvements in downtown Simpsonville will keep a block of East College Street closed to vehicular traffic through the end of September. According to a project update from city…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: construction, life, on-the-move
Simpsonville Battalion Chief Christopher Walker Completes Statewide Chief Fire Officer Program
September 23, 2026
Simpsonville Fire Department Battalion Chief Christopher Walker has completed the Chief Fire Officer program, an executive-level leadership credential administered through the South Carolina State Firefighters’ Association. The specialized program brings…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: life, on-the-move, public-safety
Small Town Trains, Hope For The Future?
September 23, 2026
By Tom Poland The road looks just like one on Granddad’s farm running into hardwoods where a spring bubbled in shade. Come sundown in Granddad’s battered old car, we’d…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, golden-strip-news, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
It’s finally fall, y’all (according to the calendar, at least)
September 21, 2026
Let’s be honest: our outdoor thermometers did not get the memo that summer is supposed to be in the rearview mirror. While the calendar officially declared autumn’s arrival, stepping outside…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: festivals-special-events, life, on-the-move, retail, the-arts
Get ready to roll: homeschool skate events announced for 2026-2027 school year
September 21, 2026
Homeschooling families in the area have a reason to lace up their skates! A new series of Homeschool Skate events has been announced for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year. This…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: festivals-special-events, life, on-the-move
Rotary Club of Mauldin to Host Annual Tim Brett Memorial Charity Golf Tournament at Carolina Springs Golf Club
September 21, 2026
Golfers, local business leaders, and community supporters will hit the greens on Monday, September 28, 2026, for the annual Tim Brett Memorial Charity Golf Tournament, hosted by the Rotary Club…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: festivals-special-events, life, sports
Fountain Inn Fire Department warns community of unauthorized apparel scam
September 21, 2026
Local fire officials are urging Upstate residents to stay vigilant following the circulation of fraudulent online merchandise campaigns falsely claiming to support local first responders. The Fountain Inn Fire Department…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: headlines, law, life, on-the-move
The Civil War Changed Funeral Customs
September 16, 2026
By Tom Poland A do-it-yourself casket for a pet is as close most get today. I’ve heard of people paying a carpenter to build a casket for a dog,…
Read MorePosted in: beaufortcurrent, lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, golden-strip-news, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move
Watching hummingbirds
September 16, 2026
(opens in new tab) By Jeff Becraft My wife has several hummingbird feeders hanging on our front porch. Four to be exact. Two weeks ago I talked about flies…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, on-the-move
GFWC Golden Strip Club donates carts of potatoes to Center for Community Services
September 16, 2026
In celebration of National Potato Month this September, the GFWC Golden Strip Club organized a targeted food drive to support local families served by the Center for Community Services. During…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: festivals-special-events, food, life, non-profit, on-the-move
Poinsettia Drive faces four-week detour as drainage work begins for Downtown Simpsonville Project
September 16, 2026
Construction crews with Thrift Development have begun mobilizing along Poinsettia Drive to install critical drainage infrastructure, initiating a four-week traffic detour tied to the ongoing Downtown Simpsonville Project. The infrastructure…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: construction, life, on-the-move
Simpsonville Fire Department hosts Light the Night for Hope vigil to observe National Opioid Awareness Day
September 16, 2026
he Simpsonville Fire Department Opioid Response Program will host a community remembrance gathering, “Light the Night for Hope,” on Thursday, September 24, 2026, in observance of National Opioid Awareness Day.…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: festivals-special-events, health-wellness, life, on-the-move, public-safety
How Austin’s love inspired a mother’s mission to bring suicide awareness into the light
September 14, 2026
When you meet Chrissy Davis, there is an immediate, disarming warmth in the room. Her eyes hold a soft, steady light, and her laughter comes easily—the kind of presence that…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: conversations, headlines, health-wellness, life, on-the-move, teens-and-young-adult
Dirt on the Strip: How to rewild your bed edges without getting an HOA violation
September 14, 2026
I have a confession to make: I am a certified, unapologetic plant nerd. While normal people unwind with glossy home decor spreads, romance novels, or murder podcasts, I am the…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: advice, life, on-the-move, outdoors
It’s okay to not be okay
September 11, 2026
(opens in new tab) By Jeff Becraft In one of his movies, Clint Eastwood says, “Every man needs to know his limitations.” I don’t really remember much about that…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, on-the-move
Thomas McAfee Funeral Homes to host 25th Annual Grief Seminar
September 11, 2026
Thomas McAfee Funeral Homes will host its 25th Annual Grief Seminar on Thursday, Oct. 1 at the Kroc Center in Greenville. The event will feature two sessions providing professional caregivers…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: churches, health-wellness, health-care, life, local-industry, on-the-move
Atlantic hurricane season nears historic lull as peak approaches without a single hurricane
September 9, 2026
As the calendar approaches September 10—statistically the climatological peak of the Atlantic hurricane season—meteorologists and coastal residents alike are watching an exceptionally rare phenomenon unfold: the Atlantic basin has yet…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: environmental, headlines, life, on-the-move, outdoors
The Deadly Silo
September 9, 2026
By Tom Poland I’ve always looked at silos with wonderment. Silos fill me with a sense of mystery. Just how do they work? Then I began to notice nearly all…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, golden-strip-news, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Dirt on the Strip: the science of soil, serotonin, and sassing your spouse
September 7, 2026
By Barbara LeForge, Golden Strip News Editor Honey, listen to me: we have got to stop blaming Aunt Janice’s green bean casserole, the credit card statements, and the holiday madness…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: advice, health-wellness, life, on-the-move, the-arts
Pursue that which is most important today
September 2, 2026
(opens in new tab) By Jeff Becraft Now, I am not a scientist, and I have never done any study on flies. And I have no desire to even…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, on-the-move
SC Superheroes in Motion 5K and 1-mile event returns to Conestee Park this Saturday
September 2, 2026
Runners, walkers, and wheelchair rollers will lace up and suit up this weekend as the South Carolina Spinal Cord Injury Association hosts the SC Superheroes in Motion Walk, Run &…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: life, on-the-move, philanthropy, sports
Jackson Station Rhythm & Blues Club
September 2, 2026
By Tom Poland October 1977—April 1990 Where The Music Died Now and then a kind of gravity draws me to an old building. I’m driving south on SC Highway 25…
Read MorePosted in: beaufortcurrent, lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, golden-strip-news, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Blink Book Review: “Woe Is I” by Patricia O’Conner”
September 2, 2026
By Reba Hull Campbell I’ve been working my way through some new and not-so-new favorite writing books this summer. One I’ve revisited is the latest edition of Patricia T.…
Read MorePosted in: beaufortcurrent, lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, golden-strip-news, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
LawyerLisa recognized in the 33rd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America
August 31, 2026
Managing Attorney, Lisa Hostetler Brown, has been recognized by her peers in the 33rd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America© for 2027 for her exceptional work in Elder Law.…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: business-services, education, entrepreneurship, law, life, on-the-move
BridgeWay Brewing Co. named top entertainment & attractions venue in 2026 Simpsonville a-list awards
August 31, 2026
BridgeWay Brewing Co. has been named the 2026 winner for Entertainment & Attractions in the annual Simpsonville A-List Awards, capping off a competitive summer of community nominations and public voting.…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: entertainment, life, on-the-move, restaurant
Fall Harvest Festival to bring seasonal festivities to BridgeWay Station this October
August 31, 2026
Autumn celebrations are heading to BridgeWay Station as organizers announce the inaugural 2026 Fall Harvest Festival, scheduled for Saturday, October 17, 2026. Organized by J. Osborne Designs, the full-day community…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: entertainment, festivals-special-events, food, life, on-the-move, outdoors
Amy Grant and Mac McAnally Set to Headline Star-Studded Fall Fest in Simpsonville
August 31, 2026
CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park will usher in the autumn season with Fall Fest, an afternoon outdoor music and community festival scheduled for Sunday, October 4, 2026. Co-headlining the event…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: entertainment, festivals-special-events, life, music, on-the-move
Barefoot Acres pulls local vendor products from roadside market after repeated theft
August 31, 2026
The Barefoot Acres Roadside Market in Fountain Inn will no longer carry products made by local vendors, farm operators announced, ending a piece of the honor system market that had…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: life, on-the-move
Main Street Glows Pink as Fountain Inn Honors the Legacy of Dolly Parton
August 31, 2026
Downtown Fountain Inn lit up in a vibrant shade of pink this week as the city paid tribute to the life, music, and enduring message of country music legend and…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: life, music, on-the-move
Jumping into the action
August 28, 2026
(opens in new tab) By Jeff Becraft Years ago, I was on a week-long camp with a children’s home. Halfway through the week on Wednesday, the leader of the…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, on-the-move
Remembering Sacks, Wagons, Indians, & Leather
August 27, 2026
By Tom Poland I visited the Bart Garrison Agricultural Museum of South Carolina in Pendleton a few weeks back. If you’re a product of the rural South as I…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
The Light Dolly Left Behind
August 26, 2026
By Lane Byrum Director of Corporate Accounts & Emotional Intelligence Coach SHIFT Company When I learned that Dolly Parton had died, my reaction surprised me. It wasn’t simply sadness over the…
Read MorePosted in: georgetown-sc-gazette Category: advice, life, on-the-move
Blink Book Review: “The Book Club for Troublesome Women” by Marie Bostwick
August 26, 2026
By Reba Hull Campbell After my mom died in April, I started culling through random photos, grocery lists, checkbooks and other memorabilia she had tucked in long forgotten boxes.…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, golden-strip-news, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Five Greenville County high schools rank among top 25 in state, according to U.S. News
August 23, 2026
Five Greenville County high schools have earned spots among the top 25 public high schools in South Carolina, according to the latest annual rankings published by U.S. News & World…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: education, life, on-the-move
Fountain Inn firefighter Chad Beam becomes first in department history to complete Executive Fire Officer program
August 23, 2026
The Fountain Inn Fire Department has reached a major milestone as Chad Beam officially graduated from the prestigious Executive Fire Officer (EFO) Program through the National Fire Academy, becoming the…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: life, on-the-move, public-safety
Rural Upstate county votes to defund Flock license plate readers as surveillance debate heats up
August 23, 2026
In what marks a potential statewide first, an Upstate county council has voted to pull municipal funding for Flock Safety automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, spotlighting a nationwide debate…
Read MorePosted in: golden-strip-news Category: conversations, life, on-the-move
