Laurens County Libraries Partner with One Blood and The Blood Connection for April Blood Drives
March 30, 2025Laurens County Public Libraries are teaming up with One Blood and The Blood Connection this April to offer two opportunities for community members to donate blood. The One Blood bus…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: health-care, life, on-the-move
Saying goodbye to Dad
March 27, 2025By Jeff Becraft I know my last article talked about my Dad moving on to Higher Ground, but while it is still fresh on my mind, I’m going to…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, on-the-move
Lessons From The Great Snakeman
March 26, 2025By Tom Poland Come the cold, dormant months, few snakes, if any, are out and about. Perhaps winter makes a good time to read about the critters many fear.…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Power: Ed awards $95,000 grant to A Father’s Place to prepare young men for fatherhood and life
March 26, 2025A Father’s Place (AFP), has been awarded a $95,000 grant from Power:Ed, the philanthropy of SC Student Loan Corporation, to support AFP’s Reality Check Program, which actively engaging both current…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz Category: education, life, non-profit, on-the-move, philanthropy
Come out for a special Saturday at the Relic Room. It will be revolutionary! March 29
March 25, 2025When did our country make itself independent from British rule? Was it when the “shot heard ’round the world” was fired at Lexington? Was it when John Hancock and 55…
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New report highlights factors influencing the health of South Carolinians
March 25, 2025New data explores the population health of South Carolinians and the impact of physical, mental, and social well-being on life expectancy, among other factors. The annual report released by County…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: government, life, non-profit, on-the-move
Hidden by Woods; Revealed by Wind
March 20, 2025By Tom Poland I was cruising a familiar Georgia road looking for the past. A gut feeling told me to strike out for a place Hurricane Helene devastated—the busy…
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During the Revolution, South Carolina had its very own Navy
March 20, 2025You’ve heard of John Paul Jones, the first great hero of the United States Navy. But remember that in his heyday, there was no “U.S. Navy” as we think of…
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Higher Ground
March 13, 2025By Jeff Becraft Years ago, at a camp called SOTO out in the Ozarks of Arkansas, our kids and I were part of that week’s camp and we were…
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Like Being in a Liberace Movie
March 13, 2025By Tom Poland For thirteen years I jogged a trail running within 60 feet of stolen art hidden in the home of acquaintance Roger Streeter. I had no clue…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Prisma Health Family YMCA breaks ground on recreational facility expansion in response to growing community
March 11, 2025The YMCA of Greenville broke ground today on the recreational facility expansion at the Prisma Health Family YMCA in Simpsonville in response to Southern Greenville County’s exponential growth in recent…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: architecture, construction, day-care, economic-development, fitness-centers, life, marketing-and-communications, non-profit, on-the-move
‘Flower Power’ re-envisioned in newest exhibit opening at the Upcountry History Museum
March 6, 2025Say “Flower Power” and many people immediately flash back to 1960s-70s America and a focus on peace and love. But add in the efforts of a First Lady of the…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: agriculture, chamber, churches, education, environmental, hospitality, life, marketing-and-communications, media, non-profit, on-the-move, social-scene, the-arts, veterans
Silent Voices Can Live On
March 6, 2025By Tom Poland It’s Up to You The passing of another year is close at hand, and I find myself thinking of people I lost in 2024. Each…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move
Windows of refreshment
March 6, 2025By Jeff Becraft There are windows in life. Sometimes circumstances can become overwhelming in life. It can be severe things… or maybe even little things that all start to…
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Battle over teaching history in SC rages on: A report from the front
March 5, 2025“A primary object should be the education of our youth in the science of government,” said George Washington. And how well do you think we’re doing with that right now?…
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ScanSource and McCracken Middle School Partner to honor memory of former leader at 31st Annual Milliken Earth Run
March 5, 2025Special tribute planned for beloved wellness champion Blake Zemp at March 8th event The Milliken Earth Run cross country 5k will take place Saturday, March 8th at the beautiful campus…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: life, local-industry, on-the-move, technology
Endeavor Celebrates members during Women’s History Month
March 3, 2025Women’s History Month, celebrated annually throughout the month of March since 1987 (officially), is a celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture and society. Endeavor Workspaces is honored to have…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: business-services, conversations, entrepreneurship, life, local-industry, on-the-move
Return To Monkey Island
February 27, 2025By Tom Poland Rated PG-13. When the news broke that forty-three monkeys were on the loose in Yemassee, South Carolina, people reacted big time. They double locked their doors and…
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Making the choice
February 26, 2025By Jeff Becraft The number one thing you can do to keep your car running is to change the oil. Now, I am not a mechanic by any stretch…
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True romance
February 21, 2025By Jeff Becraft It has been a while since I’ve talked about my prowess on the ski slopes… so I figured it’s about time. I am a person when…
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Remembering John Culler
February 20, 2025By Tom Poland I was on the phone with Joey Frazier, South Carolina Wildlife magazine’s editor. “Tom, did you know John Culler died last week?” I did not. Just…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Organ procurement organizations do not make transplant decisions but we do help save lives
February 20, 2025Written by David DeStefano The U.S. organ donation and transplantation system has recently been embroiled in conflict and controversy. Recently implemented rules by the Department of Health and Human Services…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: health-care, life, non-profit, on-the-move
Hartness expands community offerings with new family-friendly park
February 20, 2025Hartness, the award-winning urban village known for its commitment to greenspace, thoughtful design, and community-focused living, is excited to announce the addition of a new family-friendly park. Situated within The…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, residential-real-estate
16th Annual Women’s Empowerment Conference
February 19, 2025The Women’s Empowerment Conference has partnered with AnMed Health, Renea Rowland Insurance Agency, and Foothills Community Health Care to sponsor the 16th Annual Women’s Empowerment Conference. All women are invited…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: churches, life, non-profit, on-the-move
S.C. American Revolution 250 Commission invites the public to Berkeley County events
February 19, 2025The South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission (SC250) and the Berkeley County 250 committee invite the public to events in Berkeley County from March 6 to 7. Attendees will have…
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The Forgotten Rain Porch
February 14, 2025By Tom Poland A reader and friend, Zilphy DuRant of Florence, South Carolina mailed me a letter and clipping from The Post and Courier about an architectural feature I’d…
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A great day to reach out
February 13, 2025By Jeff Becraft Last Saturday, I got up and I just didn’t feel that great. Something was off. I thought maybe it was my sugar levels were off or…
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Just Passing Through
February 12, 2025By Tom Poland Tabernacle Baptist Church sits near an intersection where collisions seem to occur for no reason. Daylight, midnight, rain, drought, people keep wrecking. It got so bad…
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Thomas Sumter Interpretative Center to launch at Sumter Museum
February 11, 2025The Sumter Museum invites the public to the grand opening of the Thomas Sumter Interpretative Center on Saturday, Feb. 22, from 2 to 5 p.m. The center, dedicated to the…
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Welcoming the new person
February 5, 2025By Jeff Becraft My wife’s birthday is around the time of Thanksgiving. This was an especially significant Thanksgiving this past year because we got to see all four grandkids.…
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Free lecture to address Air Force intelligence analysis in Vietnam
February 5, 2025Few of us are experts on the Vietnam War, but most of us have heard that perhaps the greatest flaw in the way the United States conducted it was that…
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Food for Families Workshop Rescheduled for February 12 at Clinton Library
February 4, 2025The Food for Families nutritional program, originally scheduled for January 22 but postponed due to inclement weather, has been rescheduled for Monday, February 12, at the Clinton Library. This free…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: education, life, on-the-move
The Woods Back Home
February 4, 2025By Tom Poland Heart Pine Heartbreak I grew up in a simple house. My parents built it in 1947. In the early 50s we kids had chores and among…
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Upcountry History Museum receives grant to digitize files
February 4, 2025The Upcountry History Museum – Greenville County, a Smithsonian Affiliate, announced that it has been awarded a grant from the South Carolina State Historical Records Advisory Board’s regrant program to…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: business-services, chamber, churches, conversations, covid-19, education, life, marketing-and-communications, media, military, on-the-move, technology, the-arts, veterans
Learning perseverance
January 30, 2025By Jeff Becraft Well… I finally figured out what DIY stands for – Destroy It Yourself. I have said before that someday I’m going to start my own YouTube…
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Karl the Kool-Smoking, Chain-Smoking Kat
January 30, 2025By Tom Poland Can Your Imagination Turn Real? Summer 2022, St. Simons Island, I was sitting around the pool when my niece, Harper, and her friend, Stella, asked me…
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University of South Carolina Dance Marathon
January 23, 2025University of South Carolina Students Stand Together to Make Endless Miracles University of South Carolina Dance Marathon celebrates a yearlong fundraising initiative on Feb. 22, revealing the number of miracles…
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The Lost Art of Letter Writing
January 23, 2025By Tom Poland When you write about earlier times as I often do, you hear from people who lived the very days you describe. Over the course of summer…
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Learn about World War I aviators from South Carolina
January 22, 2025If you’re of a certain age, you may recall a silly comedy film from 1965 called “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines.” It made slapstick fun of man’s often…
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Living above our feelings
January 20, 2025By Jeff Becraft Over the years, when our kids were younger, they would go with me on most of the camps and retreats, and one of those camps was…
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Parris Balazs of Eventfully Chic by Parris named winner of The Knot Best of Weddings 2025 and WeddingWire Couples Choice Award 2025
January 17, 202519th Annual Best of Weddings Awards Recognizes Top Wedding Professionals Across the U.S. Parris Balazs, owner of Eventfully Chic by Parris, announced that her company has been selected as a…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: business-services, entrepreneurship, life, local-industry, media, on-the-move
South Carolina sledding
January 16, 2025By Jeff Becraft Years ago, one Sunday morning, there were some snow flurries. A member of our church called us up and said, “We’re not going to be meeting…
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Georgialina—A Southland As We Knew It
January 15, 2025By Tom Poland In 2015, the University of South Carolina Press released my collection of memories on how things used to be. Here, then, is a trip down memory lane…
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Oasis Animal Hospital and Emergency Center announces new state-of-the-art facility
January 15, 2025Oasis Animal Hospital and Emergency Center, a leading veterinary practice and ER serving the Greater Greenville area’s dogs and cats, is proud to announce the spring opening of its new…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: business-services, health-care, life, local-industry, on-the-move
SwordFest 2025 comes early to the Relic Room, on Jan. 25
January 13, 2025Folks who are not historians tend to think of warfare in terms of things that go bang – rifles, machine guns and bombs. But for most of human history, certainly…
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Blood Drive at Clinton Library to Support Local Needs
January 12, 2025The Blood Connection’s mobile donation center is set to visit the Clinton Library on Wednesday, January 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., providing an opportunity for community members to…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: health-care, life, non-profit, on-the-move
The ladder
January 9, 2025By Jeff Becraft Recently on New Year’s Day, I got to use the ladder. Now this is the ladder. This is the ladder I got the Friday after Thanksgiving on a…
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Fluffy overused words are the drunk party crashers of writing
January 9, 2025By Reba Hull Campbell It’s National Word Nerd Day, the perfect excuse to call out fluffy, pet peeve words that are a writer’s equivalent of drunk party crashers. These drunk…
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The New Orleans Blues
January 7, 2025By Tom Poland New Orleans-bound, Georgia Dawgs Andy and I left Columbia, South Carolina, December 31 at 7:30 a.m. Headed to the Sugar Bowl, our rooms waited at a…
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Historic Columbia announces January 2025 events
January 6, 2025Historic Columbia announced programming and events for January 2025. See the full list of January events below and be sure to leave room in your calendar to experience all Historic…
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