Billfish: Catch & Release
August 15, 2024
By Tom Poland Billfish Conservation & Record Releases of Blue Marlin I wanted a real-deal Ernest Hemingway long-bill cap to let me see into the depths. One that would…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Restaurant Week Upstate begins THIS Thursday!
August 12, 2024
The tastiest time of the year is almost here! Beginning Thursday, August 15, join us as the top restaurants in Upstate South Carolina show off their culinary skills during this…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: food, hospitality, life, on-the-move
A Coquina Sunrise
August 8, 2024
By Tom Poland And Carnivorous Plants At first I thought men had poured cement onto the beach. Protection against an encroaching sea, I figured. The waves had scoured it…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
No Damsel In Distress
August 1, 2024
By Tom Poland Late May, I made one last effort to see the rare rocky shoals spider lilies before they play out. Rain and high water had deviled the…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
NEAT Bourbon Bar announces expansion into Greer’s thriving downtown
July 23, 2024
Whiskey lovers rejoice! This fall, NEAT Bourbon Bar, Greenville’s first true bourbon bar, is expanding into the heart of Downtown Greer. Located at 108 E Poinsett Street Ext, this will…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: hospitality, life, on-the-move, social-scene
Daddy Had A Worm Farm
July 22, 2024
By Tom Poland The towns sounded distant, not as miles go, but as memories. Hazlehurst, McRae, Baxley, Soperton, Alma, and Tifton. Tifton meant trouble. I was studying a map…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Hemingway’s Pocket
July 17, 2024
By Tom Poland We give little thought to our pockets until one gets a hole in it. When it does, it becomes a liability. Well, what’s the history of…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Upcountry History Museum to host Quilts of Valor Display
July 15, 2024
Quilts to be Awarded to Local Veterans in Special Ceremonies on July 20 What began as one mother’s dream when her son was deployed in Iraq in 2003 is now…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: chamber, churches, conversations, education, government, law, life, marketing-and-communications, media, military, non-profit, on-the-move, social-scene, the-arts, veterans
Upcountry History Museum completes survey of sites in Greenville County associated with the American Revolution
July 14, 2024
In a war remembered more for battles at Bunker Hill, Concord, Saratoga, and Yorktown, it was the events of the Southern Campaign that finally turned the tide for American independence.…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: chamber, churches, education, life, marketing-and-communications, media, military, non-profit, on-the-move, the-arts, veterans
The Summer Life Changed
July 11, 2024
By Tom Poland Why Do You Live Where You Do? April 18, 2024—Dickey Betts’s passing took me back to 1973, a very hard year for me. Betts and his…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Tips for a Sober Summer: Enjoy All the Upstate Has to Offer Without Compromising Your Sobriety
July 11, 2024
Summer can be a daunting time for those in recovery or even those simply looking to drink less. In a culture where activities are often planned around alcohol, it can…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: health-care, life, on-the-move
Monsoons, Dogs, & Drought
July 2, 2024
By Tom Poland A spring long ago … It rained and rained. And then it rained some more. The rain gauge brimmed and our yard turned quagmire. It rained…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move
A Marketing Agency with Upstate ties wins 2024 Best Marketing Firm in South Carolina
July 2, 2024
A Statewide Public Relations and Crisis Communications Agency, MPA Strategies, has been named as the 2024 Best Marketing Firm in South Carolina by the Guide to South Carolina. Two of…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: agriculture, chamber, entrepreneurship, environmental, government, it-services, law, life, marketing-and-communications, media, non-profit, on-the-move
Clemson MBA fireworks on the Fourth returns to Unity Park
July 1, 2024
The largest fireworks show in the Upstate returns to Unity Park next Thursday, July 4. Attendees are advised to plan ahead, arrive early and enjoy a spectacular evening in the…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: government, hospitality, life, on-the-move
Upcountry History Museum Presents Unique Exhibit of Iconic Artist, Frida Kahlo
June 27, 2024
Recognized as one of Mexico’s most prolific and well-known female artists, Frida Kahlo’s work has been the subject of many exhibitions. In this traveling retrospective, “Frida Kahlo: Through the Lens…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: chamber, education, entertainment, hospitality, hotels, life, marketing-and-communications, media, non-profit, on-the-move, social-scene, the-arts
Fly Down Hill
June 26, 2024
By Tom Poland I reached deep into my sense of place and reckoned the road ought to come out near Anthony Shoals Road, and it did. My parents drove…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Reynolds Lake Oconee Sweepstakes now open; grand-prize winner will win dream getaway for golf, more
June 26, 2024
Includes Golf, Club Fitting, Clinic, Accommodations; Entries Accepted Through Aug. 29 It’s back! The annual Reynolds Lake Oconee Sweepstakes is now open, with the once-in-a-lifetime grand prize of a five-day, four-night experience…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, sports
Priority One Security announces new customer experience
June 25, 2024
New enhanced user website provides an experience for customers Regionally based Priority One Security is announcing the launch of its new website and a comprehensive rebranding of its services, signaling…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: business-services, commercial-real-estate, construction, education, hi-tech-information-tech, it-services, life, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move, residential-real-estate, technology, telecommunications
Beat the Summer Heat and Stay Healthy: Prisma Health gives tips to keep you safe all season long
June 20, 2024
Summer officially arrives on Thursday, with temperatures already in the 90s in parts of South Carolina. Extreme heat can cause everything from heat exhaustion to more dangerous heat stroke –…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: health-care, life, on-the-move
Remembering Cale Yarborough
June 19, 2024
By Tom Poland The breaking news alert held just 29 words. “Cale Yarborough, a NASCAR great, dies at 84. Known for his fierce toughness and grit, Mr. Yarborough won…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Stumpy’s Hatchet House celebrates grand re-opening at Judson Mill District
June 18, 2024
Event features food, games, giveaways, merchandise and more Stumpy’s Hatchet House, the nation’s original axe-throwing and entertainment destination, will celebrate its grand re-opening at the Judson Mill District on June 22 from…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: entertainment, food, hospitality, life, on-the-move
A New Backroad Magazine
June 13, 2024
By Tom Poland Backroad Portfolio You cannot raise your ancestors from their grave, but you can appreciate how they lived. Just take a backroad deep into the countryside and…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Judson Mill District to host free summer movie series for families
June 10, 2024
Movies at the Mill launches June 14 in West Courtyard The revitalized Judson Mill District launches its community event series “Movies at the Mill,” a free outdoor gathering on the…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: entertainment, life, on-the-move
First Taste of Blackstrap Molasses
June 5, 2024
By Tom Poland Mid 1950s, early morning on the farm, it was. Rivers of gold ran down the stack of pancakes on the old oak table. Butter pooled higher…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Thankful in the midst of changes
May 30, 2024
By Jeff Becraft When we first moved to where we live now 30 years ago, there were all kinds of trees between the interstate and where our neighborhood was.…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Broomstraw Brooms
May 30, 2024
By Tom Poland I call it broomstraw. Others broomsedge. Whatever you call it, it doesn’t kill my memories of my grandmother’s homemade brooms. About a yardstick long, they stood in…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
When the Border Boys Were Young
May 22, 2024
By Tom Poland Before the photos, Robert Clark had been photographing architecture for ten years. I had been writing scripts for documentaries. Much earlier, during a teaching stint, I…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Cicadas’ Rise & Fall
May 14, 2024
By Tom Poland A spring or summer day isn’t quite Southern without singing cicadas and it seems our annual cicadas love the heat of day come summer, singing best during…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move
New D-Day exhibit at Upcountry History Museum personifies stories honoring men and women of ‘Greatest Generation’
May 13, 2024
From best-kept secret of World War II to largest invasion of Allied air, land, and sea forces in military history, the legacy of the sixth day of the sixth month…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: chamber, churches, education, government, life, marketing-and-communications, media, military, non-profit, on-the-move, the-arts, transportation, veterans
Bonham House—Last Of Its Kind
May 9, 2024
By Tom Poland In Saluda County an old homeplace sits on brick piers. It’s as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar, but that wasn’t always the case. Some refer…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
The Great Cicada Uprising
May 1, 2024
By Tom Poland Its exoskeleton brings the creature in Alien to mind. It’s armed with needle-sharp claws and glistens as if waxed. It bristles with filaments like stinging nettle,…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
USC School of Medicine Greenville achieves national certification for lifestyle medicine curriculum
April 29, 2024
The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville has earned “Platinum Plus” certification from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) for the significant level of undergraduate lifestyle medicine…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: health-care, life, on-the-move
Greenville Jewish Federation launches Family Services program
April 25, 2024
The Greenville Jewish Federation has launched a pioneering initiative aimed at providing essential social support services to adults and families of all faiths across the Upstate region. Jewish Family Services…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: churches, life, on-the-move
Long Lost Lisbon
April 24, 2024
By Tom Poland “The oak was so big, five men could link hands and not reach around it.” On a clear December day I walked where about eight feet…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, the-arts
The Million Dollar Quartet
April 18, 2024
By Tom Poland I go back now, back to August 1, 2012. That’s the day the University of South Carolina Press published Save The Last Dance For Me. Strange…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
If A Photo Is Worth 1,000 Words …
April 10, 2024
By Tom Poland Why do we need cutlines? Simple. To better serve the reader. A cutline needs to be right. Long after the writer is gone, his work will…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Surprise At Surrender Rock
April 3, 2024
By Tom Poland A Sunday before Christmas it was. With the gifts all wrapped, I had a bit of time. I wanted to see the monument where Mayor T.J.…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Furman to open Taco Bell Tower in iconic landmark
April 1, 2024
Students get chance to learn fast-casual restaurant business first-hand, adding value to their already valuable Furman degree Furman University announced, April 1, that it will soon open a taco stand…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: education, life, on-the-move
Running With Ghosts
March 27, 2024
By Tom Poland I dreamed I was in a football game again. Then I awoke. Such disappointment. Other than playing in a game again, the next best thing would be…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
A Way To Receive And Give Back
March 21, 2024
By Tom Poland You reach a point in life where you look backwards a lot. I recall my days studying Journalism at the University of Georgia. Turns out I…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
The Golden Gloved Artist
March 14, 2024
By Tom Poland During my not quite 10 years at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources I worked among talented illustrators, filmmakers, designers, photographers, and artists. I watched…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Bring Back Honest-To-Goodness Screen Doors
March 7, 2024
By Tom Poland With winter knock, knock, knocking on their door, people are thinking of storm doors and weather stripping. Well, drafty old screen doors occupy my mind. Recent…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Meyer Center for Special Children celebrates 70 years of serving the Upstate’s children with disabilities
March 4, 2024
The Meyer Center for Special Children this year celebrates 70 years of serving the Upstate’s children with disabilities. During a special event held at the Meyer Center to commemorate the…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: day-care, education, life, local-industry, non-profit, on-the-move
Feathers Fit For A King
February 29, 2024
By Tom Poland I wanted to hunt birds when a boy. Problem was no one would take me hunting. Dad tried but hunting wasn’t in his blood. And so…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
‘Bedtime Stitches’ exhibit at Upcountry History Museum showcases distinctive talents of fabric artist Salley Mavor
February 28, 2024Bringing stories from the pages of her books to life is what fabric artist and children’s author Salley Mavor does best, and her latest exhibit, “Salley Mavor: Bedtime Stitches,” showcases…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: chamber, churches, day-care, education, entertainment, life, marketing-and-communications, media, non-profit, on-the-move, social-scene, the-arts
One View, Two Civilizations
February 22, 2024
By Tom Poland On a November Saturday, I drove to the geographic heart of Georgia. The cool breath of autumn and a blue-sky day had pulled people outdoors. I…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
The Luck Of The Draw
February 14, 2024
By Tom Poland December 1, 1969, was no ordinary Monday. It was a day when your birthday was your destiny. In Athens, Georgia’s Benton Apartments my roommates and I…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Ordering Please, One Big Boy
February 7, 2024
By Tom Poland Daddy set me straight. “If you want some spending money, get a job.” Thus did I work two jobs while going through college at Georgia. I…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Being Thankful – A Different View
February 1, 2024
By Jeff Becraft I did not write today’s Friday encouragement – it was sent to me by a friend of mine named Rick. It is from The Speaker’s Friend by Leonard…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move
Folk Artist Leonard Jones
February 1, 2024
By Tom Poland Giving Old Tin New Life During my school days the yellow bus rolled me past chicken houses. In 1972, when I taught creative writing in Lincolnton,…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
