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SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – Wofford’s Rachael Rose was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year for a second-straight season, as announced by the league Tuesday.

Rose is the first player on program history to not only repeat, but earn the honor twice and is the first to repeat since Mercer’s Kahlia Lawrence won three straight from 2015 to 2018. She was nominated by both coaches and media, in addition to earning first-team recognition.

The Scranton, Pennsylvania native leads the conference in scoring (22.1) where she is also ranked ninth in the nation, assists per game (5.6), rebounding (8.6), free throw percentage (87.5) and steals (60). With 620 total points, Rose set a new single-season record for the Terriers last set by Jenny Nett in the 2001-2002 season with 613.

Rose was also named a semifinalists for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award and one of 40 recognized on the watch list for the Ann Meyers Drysdale USBWA National Player of the Year.

No stranger to awards, Rose has been named the SoCon Player of the Month all three months the award is given and has a conference-record seven Player of the Week selections.

“I’m ecstatic for Rachael to receive the SoCon Player of the Year award, highlighting the impact she has made not only on the court, but in our locker room, and honestly on our entire program,” said head coach Jimmy Garrity. “I’ve said many times, Rachael is just built different. Her heart, her grit, her intensity and her unwavering drive to do anything she can to help her team is what she brings every single day. She is also just a joy to be around. Rachael has a tremendous balance of being a leader and taking the reins, but is also just as big a part of the comradery and fun on and off the court throughout the entire season. What she has accomplished on the court is hard to put into words. But just seeing how much pride she has in our program, how she loves to play with her teammates and just flat out loves to compete, has been really rewarding for all of us to witness. Again, I’m thrilled for Rachael to receive this recognition, as it is well earned and deserved!”

In addition to Rose’s honor, Evangelia Paulk was named Freshman of the Year. She joined Maddie Heiss in all-freshman honors while Annabelle Shultz received all-defensive team recognition.

Heiss and Paulk are the first pair of Terriers to earn all-freshman honors in the same season since Jackie Carman and Niyah Lutz did so in the 2018-2019 season.

Forward/guard Paulk is fifth in the SoCon in rebounding with seven per game and has been named a starter all season in her freshman campaign. The Asheville, North Carolina native has is ranked fourth in the league in steals with 46 and set a new Wofford freshman record with five double-doubles on the season.

“I’m really happy and proud of Evangelia,” said Garrity. “Our league is so strong from top to bottom and filled with so many talented young players, so to come in as a freshman and have the season Evangelia has had makes it all the more impressive. She took on a big role her first year and handled it with determination and courage. ‘E’ contributes in so many ways. Some games it’s rebounding, some games it’s scoring and defending, but more importantly she’s always willing to do whatever she is asked and gives her best effort in doing so. To be in the company she is in with all the talented freshmen in our league, really speaks volumes of her first-year impact with receiving this award.”

Heiss is 12th in the conference with 10.7 points per game while racking up an eighth-most 50 three-pointers. Besides Rose, the Dallas native is the only Terrier to reach the 20 point mark more than once.

“Maddie Heiss has also been an incredible addition to our program and she has played a big role in her freshman year,” said Garrity. “She brings such a positive spirit to our program and she shows up every single day to make a difference, which is exactly what she does! I’m so excited and happy for her to receive the recognition of being named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team. This league has many talented young players, and Maddie is amongst the best. This recognition is well earned and deserved.”

Schultz is ranked third in the conference with 50 steals, averaging 1.8 per game. On the offensive side, the Asheville native finished with 54 three-pointers, leaving her sixth in the league. She moved into fourth on Wofford’s all-time made threes leaderboard with 161st on what was a career Senior Day.

“I am beyond thrilled that Annabelle’s outstanding play and contributions have been recognized as both an All-SoCon player and a member of the All-Defensive Team,” said Garrity. “This is a long time coming as A.B. has been impacting our team over her entire career. She takes great pride in her defense and taking on the challenge of defending some of our opponents’ best players. A.B. shows up to make a difference in whatever role is necessary that day and does it with hard work and toughness. She is so enjoyable to coach and our success over the past few seasons has a lot to do with her play, especially with her defense and her determination.”

The Terriers finished the regular season 16-12, 8-6 in league play. They enter the SoCon tournament as a number three seed and will play its quarterfinal matchup against number six Samford on Thursday at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

Daily Covid-19 admissions in the Spartanburg County area

About the data

Data is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hospitalization data is a daily average of Covid-19 patients in hospital service areas that intersect with Spartanburg County, an area which may be larger than Spartanburg County itself.

The number of daily hospital admissions shows how many patients were admitted to hospitals for Covid and is one of the most reliably reported indicators of Covid’s impact on a community.

Total population

Ages 65 and up

Total population

Ages 65 and up

An updated vaccine is recommended for adults and most children. Statewide, 7% of vaccinations did not specify a home county.

Nearby hospitals

Share of I.C.U. beds occupied

About this data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Notes: The hospitals map shows the average I.C.U. occupancy at nearby hospitals in the most recent week with data reported. The data is self-reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by individual hospitals. It excludes counts from hospitals operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Indian Health Service. Numbers for hospitalized patients are based on inpatient beds and include I.C.U. beds. Hospitalized Covid-19 patients include both confirmed and suspected Covid-19 patients. The C.D.C. stopped reporting data on cases in May 2023.

How trends have changed in Spartanburg County

About this data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Notes: Weekly county death data prior to Jan. 2021 was not reported by the C.D.C. and is sourced from reporting by The New York Times. Hospitalization data is a weekly average of Covid-19 patients in hospital service areas that intersect with Spartanburg County. Hospitalization numbers early in the pandemic are undercounts due to incomplete reporting by hospitals to the federal government.

Historical trends in Spartanburg County

The data in these charts has been archived and they are no longer being updated.

About this data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data in these charts has been archived and they are no longer being updated. Weekly county case data prior to Jan. 2021 was not reported by the C.D.C. and is sourced from reporting by The New York Times. The C.D.C. stopped reporting data on cases in May 2023. Test positivity data is based only on test results reported to the federal government and is a seven-day average.

By Jon Huang, Samuel Jacoby, Jasmine C. Lee, John-Michael Murphy, Charlie Smart and Albert Sun. Additional reporting by Sarah Cahalan, Lisa Waananen Jones, Amy Schoenfeld Walker and Josh Williams. See a full list of contributors to The Times’s Covid-19 data reporting here.

About the data

Data on this page is reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Population and demographic data is from the U.S. Census Bureau. Hospitalization data is reported by individual hospitals to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and it includes confirmed and suspected adult and pediatric patients. The C.D.C. does not provide complete vaccinations data for some counties and caps its vaccination rate figures at 95 percent.

The C.D.C. may make historical updates as more data is reported.

The C.D.C. stopped reporting data on Covid cases in May 2023.

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. —

Spartanburg School District Six has released a statement following a fatal car crash that claimed the lives of three siblings.

Ashton Olley, 14, Jaicurious Gist, 11, and Jalecia Gist, 8, were identified as three of the victims of a fatal crash on Interstate 26, Saturday.

Also identified as victims were 35-year-old Ashia Ballenger and 57-year-old Leroy Covington, the children's aunt and grandfather, respectively.

Officials released the statement in a Facebook post. The post reads:

"The District Six Family is devastated after a tragic car accident claimed the lives of three siblings who were a special part of our school community. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the family of Ashton Olley (Dorman Freshman Campus), his brother Jaicurious Gist (Fairforest Middle School), and their sister Jalecia Gist (former student). In this time of overwhelming grief, our thoughts, prayers, and support are with the family and loved ones affected by this unimaginable loss. The impact of this tragedy is felt deeply throughout our district. Ashton, Jaicurious, and Jalecia were all loving students with infectious smiles. Our students, teachers, and staff will never forget their vibrant personalities and the joy they brought to our classrooms. We offer our deepest condolences during this incredibly difficult time. No words can express the emptiness felt in our hearts. May the memories of our precious students live on forever. #D6family"

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Spartanburg School District 7 Superintendent Jeff Stevens also released the following statement:

“District 7 sends our deepest sympathies to the family of Jalecia Gist, who joined our Cleveland Academy community just this year. It is unimaginable for this family to suffer the loss of multiple children and family members at one time, and our hearts go out to Jalecia’s mother, her family, and to all who loved her and those lost in this tragic accident. We are also lifting up our friends in the District 6 community, where her siblings attended school.”

Dede Norungolo, an Upstate-based therapist who specializes in grief, depression and anxiety, said similar incidents could be one of the first times children are exposed to the reality of death. She said the process can cause anger, agitation and fear.

"Kids might feel betrayed by adults, that adults can't protect them after all," she said.

Norungolo said parents can sit with their children and give them the space they need to process what happened at their own pace.

"When we think about death and dying, there are the stages of grief, but as an outcome, part of what might be helpful is when a parent helps their child or a young person to make meaning of it, make meaning of the loss," she said.

The therapist said grief affects each child and adult differently, and there are several resources, such as books, available to help people grieve.

Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said the schools where the children attended had counselors available following the crash.

The coroner has not ruled on an official cause of death.

The crash remains under investigation by South Carolina Highway Patrol.

A manufacturer of pigment dispersions, specialty inks and coatings, today announced plans to establish its first South Carolina operations with a $7.2 million investment in Spartanburg County.

The Pan Technology Inc. project will create 72 new jobs, according to a news release from the South Carolina Commerce Department.

Headquartered in Carlstadt, N.J., Pan Technology specializes in manufacturing colorants, coatings and a wide variety of related specialty products for the paint and coatings, furniture, automotive, ink, construction and cosmetic industries, the news release said.

The company can make product batches as small as five gallons, according to its website.

“We are very excited to have the opportunity to expand our business with the help from the talented people of South Carolina,” company President Michael Rossomando said in the release. “It’s a privilege to become part of Spartanburg County where we look forward to developing and expanding our products portfolio, which is diverse, sustainable and specialized to meet the customer's objective.” Pan Technology plans to build a new facility at 109 Belton Drive in Spartanburg. It will include manufacturing, lab and warehouse operations, the release said.

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“We are grateful and excited when Spartanburg County is the chosen location for a business to expand its statewide options,” Spartanburg County Councilman and Economic Development Committee Chairman David Britt said in the release. “Pan Technology couldn’t have picked a better location to align with their core businesses. In Spartanburg County, they’ve found a supportive partner to accommodate their mission and future growth. We welcome them to the Spartanburg team.” Operations are expected to be online by the end of 2023.

The Commerce Departmenent’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project.

“South Carolina’s manufacturing industry continues to play an important role in our economy,” Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III said in the release. “Because of companies like Pan Technology, we are further diversifying this sector while also providing unique opportunities within the state.”

SPARTANBURG — A new mural called "Togetherness" aims to inspire students to read more and be connected with family.

The mural was recently painted inside the second floor of a parking garage connected to Spartanburg's Meeting Street Academy and is separated by a glass window. It depicts a Black family sitting on a porch reading together. Andre Sullivan of Greenville was selected to paint the mural for Black History Month.

Sullivan has painted murals at Greenville businesses and neighborhoods since becoming a full-time artists in 2019. He developed his passion for art while he was a student at Southside High School in Greenville, where he graduated in 2010.

His art teacher, Tye Leach, pushed him to develop his creativity. Leach now teaches art teacher at Meeting Street Academy.

"She was the first instructor in school to get me to take art seriously," Sullivan said. "Art was always a big part of me but I never took it seriously until I met her. She was someone who showed passion about it and encouraged her students."

Sullivan has used his skills not only to paint murals but also to illustrate children's books. Five published books feature his art. The mural at Meeting Street Academy is his latest work.

He wanted the mural to feature a Black family also depicting grandparents.

"I recently repaired a relationship with my father, and I wanted the mural to talk about family dynamics," he said. "A lot of the students at (Meeting Street Academy) live with their grandparents as primary caretakers. I wanted to shed a light with the mural on that to show how grandparents are stepping up."

It took Sullivan about a week to complete the mural, which was unveiled during a brief ceremony Feb. 29.

Kathy Dunleavy, community liaison for the Academy, said the mural sends a positive message. The mural is located near the school's vehicle line.

GREENVILLE — Greenville's Woodruff Road Whataburger broke ground March 5 as the Texas-based burger chain prepares to open a handful of new locations across Upstate South Carolina over the next year.

In addition to Greenville, Spartanburg, Boiling Springs, Duncan, Anderson, Easley and Mauldin will all get Whataburgers as part of the fast food company's eastern expansion across the U.S.

Whataburger’s Growth Market Leader, Preston Hughes, said the company plans to open 10 restaurants in South Carolina this year, and 60 between both Carolinas over the next three years.

“We’ve been growing as a brand, and this is the next step in our journey,” Hughes said. “(Interstate) 85 to us is kind of that growth pipeline.”

All the Upstate locations will be corporate-owned with experienced store operators coming in from other parts of the state to run them.

Raenette Daigle left Dallas to helm the Woodruff Road location. She was an operating partner there but was excited to move to Greenville and bring the burger to a new community.

She’s looking forward to exploring downtown and going hiking.

“They told me they have mountains, as well,” Daigle said. “In Dallas, we don’t have that type of stuff. I’m just excited.”

She’s not the only one to move.

Jake Chastain fell in love with the mountains a couple years ago in Colorado Springs when he was helping open Whataburgers around the country as a special operations supervisor.

“I was like ‘This is amazing; these mountains are so cool,” he said.