Spartanburg City News

In 2014, Pastor Nannie Jefferies saw a need in Spartanburg that no other organization was filling. After visiting with and ministering to incarcerated relatives of her parishioners, Pastor Jefferies was struck by the lack of assistance and hope those women had once they were released. Many of the women were often left with no alternative but to return to the same environments that had led them down the path to incarceration in the first place, putting them at much higher risk of recidivism. Recognizing the need to offer a better solution, Pastor Jefferies founded , which has been working to provide that solution for recently incarcerated women in Spartanburg ever since. Today on the podcast, we're talking with Pastor Jefferies about the work Angels Charge does and the impact that work has on the women served and the larger community they call home.

It was a storm unlike any in living memory in Spartanburg, and while the damage our region experienced from Hurricane Helene far exceeded everyone's estimates, the City and the community came together to put us on the road to recovery. Today on the podcast, we're talking with City Manager Chris Story, Fire Chief Pierre Brewton, and Public Works Director Jay Squires about the City's response to Hurricane Helene and the road ahead for Spartanburg.

It was identified during the Duncan Park Revisioning Plan as a priority by a steering committee of nearby residents and stakeholders, and now for the first time in decades, Duncan Park Lake is open to non-motorized boating and catch and release fishing. The new change comes on the heels of other improvements recently made to the park, including removal of invasive species and trails improvements, also identified in the revisioning plan that was spearheaded by in partnership with the City. Today on the podcast, we're talking with City Parks, Recreation, & Special Events Director Kim Brown and PAL Executive Director Laura Ringo about the process to open up the lake and what may be next for Duncan Park.

It's been almost four months since City Fire Chief Pierre Brewton returned home to Spartanburg to lead the department where he first honed his skills as a firefighter. Returning after serving for four years as Fire Chief for the City of Albemarle, NC, Chief Brewton began his career with the City of Spartanburg in 1988, assigned to garbage collection in the Public Works Department. In 1994, he successfully transitioned to the Spartanburg Fire Department, rising through the ranks to eventually serve as Assistant Fire Chief, the highest-ranking minority member in Spartanburg Fire Department history.  Chief Brewton was born and raised in the Highland community in Spartanburg and is a proud graduate of Spartanburg High School, Limestone University, and Spartanburg Community College. He is credentialed through the Center for Public Safety Excellence as a Chief Fire Officer and Chief Training Officer and is a graduate of Texas A&M’s Fire Service Chief Executive Fire Officer Program and the International Association of Fire Chiefs Fire Service Executive Development Institute. Today on the podcast, we're talking with Chief Brewton about his experiences growing up and living in Spartanburg, his plans for the fire department he leads, and his reflections on the future of community he is dedicated to serving.

In a little more than two years, Hello Family—a unique collection of support systems for young children and their families—has gone from an idea to scale up and build capacity for early childhood services utilizing an innovative  funding model to  for the organization's work to improve birth outcomes, increase school readiness, and enhance childhood health and well-being in Spartanburg. In fact, Hello Family's success has been so significant during those first two years, that now the organization is in the process of expanding countywide, having joined Spartanburg Academic Movement in late 2023 to build their organizational capacity. Today on the podcast, we're discussing the remarkable success Hello Family has seen so far and what that means for Spartanburg with Hello Family Director, Kaitlin Watts and Bryan Boroughs with the Institute of Child Success.

Buying a home is one of the most important decisions many of us will ever make, and getting started in that process can be daunting. So what do you do if you have questions about qualifying for a mortgage, downpayment assistance, where to find a realtor, or any of the other issues that may arise in finding a home for you and your family? Come to the Homebuyer Seminar & Expo at the Dr. T.K. Gregg Community Center (650 Howard St.) on June 29, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.! Local experts in all of these areas and more will be available to walk you through the process and get you on the road to homeownership. Today on the podcast, we're talking with local realtor Lupe Rosales and Carolyn MacIntosh with First Citizens Bank about the event.

Today on the podcast we're discussing MySpartanburg, our new City app allowing residents to easily and conveniently report service requests directly from their smartphones.  Available through the and , the app lets those who live, work, and play in the City of Spartanburg report any non-emergency service requests and receive updates on requests as they are assigned to City staff and completed.  The app enables users to upload photos, pulls location data from photos, and provides a wide variety of request categories that include Public Works, Parks & Recreation, Commercial Property, and more, so City staff can receive detailed information and lessen the need for calls, duplicate requests, and the uncertainty associated with making sure your service requests are received by the right staff.

Community Health Awareness Day returns to Spartanburg on Saturday, June 1, 2024 from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Carver Middle School (467 S. Church St.). This free community event offers an array of services, resources, entertainment, and activities in one convenient location. The event will kick off with a 5k health awareness walk at 7:45 AM with warm-up exercises. From 8:00 to 11:00 AM, attendees can participate in various health screenings, education sessions, listen to engaging speakers, enjoy line dancing, and access over 55 community resource vendors. There will also be activities designed specifically for kids and seniors. The event is a collaborative effort involving key community partners such as Live Healthy Spartanburg, the Greater Spartanburg Divine Nine, ReGenesis Healthcare, the City of Spartanburg, and the United Way of the Piedmont. Today on the podcast, we're talking with JaLisa Jordan, Program Manager at Live Healthy Spartanburg, and ReGenesis Healthcare Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jami Cokley about what participants can expect at this year's Community Health Awareness Day.

As part of ongoing efforts by the City and partnering organizations throughout the Spartanburg community, the Homeless Engagement and Response Team (H.E.A.R.T) program was launched in partnership with the United Way of the Piedmont in 2022 to provide direct outreach to people experiencing homelessness in Spartanburg and to assist in connecting those residents with available service providers.  Responding to the ongoing challenges related to homelessness in our community and recognizing the increasing need for direct assistance for unsheltered residents, the H.E.A.R.T. provides a direct point-of-contact between those in need and the services that can make a difference in their lives. Today on the podcast, we're talking with members of the H.E.A.R.T. program and the leaders who coordinate their efforts.

Back in 2020, the City was fortunate to receive a Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Grant from the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The purpose of these funds is to remediate lead-based paint hazards and reduce other health hazards in the homes of families with children under the age of six and to safely improve the housing stock of older homes in the City of Spartanburg. Over the last four years, the program has turned out to be a great success story, creating a new pathway for improving the lives and health of vulnerable residents while also improving the city's existing housing stock. To date, 38 homes have either completed the program or are currently in the process of doing so. Today on the podcast, we're talking with the program's manager, David Maher about the program and the work the City's team is doing to create safer home environments for residents throughout our city. Listen below for more, and follow this link to learn more about how your home could potentially qualify for assistance with lead-based paint hazards.