The Daily Required

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Alyssa Handelsman of Wofford College, and Tonja Smith and Channing Houser of Ruth's Gleanings and Foodshare Spartanburg, about a project undertaken by one of Dr. Handelsman's classes to inventory kitchens in Spartanburg that are available to the community. We talk about the importance of the project notably for cooking, but for community building.

Find out more about PAL's work with the Spartanburg Food Coalition by emailing Alissa Duncan here,Find more about Ruth's Gleanings and Foodshare Spartanburg here.

In this episode, host and PAL Trail Coordinator Ned Barrett and PAL Executive Director Laura Ringo trade questions and answers about the work we're doing expanding the Daniel Morgan Trail System. We talk about the past, present and future of the system: how we got here and where we're going.

In this episode, PAL Executive Director Laura Ringo interviews our usual host, me, Ned Barrett, about his 2020 running project where he ran every street in the city of Spartanburg. We talk about why I decided to do it, some of the things I learned about the city, and how others might undertake the same or a similar project to get to know where they live. You can find photos and text on Instagram @15minutesfromhome.

In this episode, I talk with several volunteers at the Newt Hardie Birthday Bash, celebrating the birthday of Newt Hardie by clearing invasive species from the Converse Heights ravine. Many thanks to the Trees Coalition and to Keep One Spartanburg Beautiful for their partnerships.

In this episode, I talk with Brad Steinecke, assistant director of local history at the Spartanburg County Public Library. Brad has a wealth of knowledge of Spartanburg's many layers of history; we talked about the development of the community that the Mary H. Wright Greenway passes through, and an interesting connection it has to the area around the Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail. We also hit on the story of Vanderbilt Road, along which the new Three Creeks Trail passes. Let's consider this the first of a periodic series delving into Spartanburg's rich history.

In this episode, I talk with Amanda Mathis, newly named executive director of the Spartanburg Area Conservancy, better known as SPACE. SPACE is our local land trust, and owners and operators of the Cottonwood Trail Preserve, the Glendale Preserve and the Chinquapin Preserve. After Amanda introduces herself, we talk about SPACE's 30th anniversary celebration, why 31 is just as important, and what's in store for SPACE for the next 30 years.

In this episode I talk with Earl B. Hunter, Junior, the founder and president of Black Folks Camp Too, a company addressing the problem of the lack of diversity in the camping industry and in camping and the outdoors in general. Earl talks about the historical reasons that some Black folks don't feel comfortable in the woods, and how important feeling welcome is for all of us. Join us around the campfire.

Find out more about Black Folks Camp Too here: blackfolkscamptoo.com, as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

In this episode we attend the opening ceremony for the Bike Park, the latest feature at the Rail Yard. The development of the Bike Park has been a collaborative effort that has resulted in one of the coolest new recreational areas in the Upstate. We hear from some of the major players, and also from some of the sponsors and others who attended the opening.

In this episode I talk with Patrick Jinks of the Jinks Perspective, who led our recent strategic planning sessions and continues to work with us. We talk about his approach to strategic planning, and why Eisenhower said that plans were useless, but planning is essential. I also talk with PAL Board members Adrienne Ables and Ty Dawson who chaired the Strategic Planning Committee. We discuss some of the specifics of our plan.

In this episode, I talk with Jean Crowther and John Cock of Alta Planning and Design, the firm we hired to write Spartanburg County's application for $19.4 million from the Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) program for expansion of the Dan. John and Jean talk about their Spartanburg roots, what the BUILD program entails and the impact on the Daniel Morgan Trail System.