Mortgage Broker in Spartanburg, SC

SPARTANBURG, S.C. —

Voters in both North Carolina and South Carolina will have an addition to the ballot centered on a change in wording in each state's constitution that would more finely define who has the right to vote.

In South Carolina, it is a change of one word, from "every" to "only a."

Here's how the constitutional amendment question on the South Carolina ballot for the November 5, 2024 General Election reads:

"Must Section 4, Article II of the Constitution of this State, relating to voter qualifications, be amended so as to provide that only a citizen of the United States and of this State of the age of eighteen and upwards who is properly registered is entitled to vote as provided by law?"

The current language says, "... amended so as to provide that every citizen of the United States..."

State Sen. Josh Kimbrell of Spartanburg was the primary sponsor of the measure, which passed the state senate on a bipartisan vote of 40-3 and passed the state house on a unanimous vote.

Now, as voters are heading to the polls early, he wants to make sure that the citizens of South Carolina are as enthusiastic as their state lawmakers about the so-called "Citizen Only Voting Amendment."

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Kimbrell tells WYFF News 4, "It doesn't make it harder for a legal voter in the state to vote, but it does make clear in South Carolina we will not open ourselves up to lawsuits by groups that are pushing non-citizens to vote in elections anywhere in the state."

He says the need for the change was born from several municipalities in other states granting non-citizens the right to vote in local elections.

"We have had multiple court challenges across the United States in multiple jurisdictions where some courts have upheld municipal governments or school boards extending the right to vote to those who are not legally in this country, " Kimbrell said. "We want to remove any ambiguity in South Carolina."

Paul Jacob is the Chairman of Americans For Citizen Voting, based in Washington, D.C. and tells News 4,"this year eight states have it on the ballot in some very competitive swing states like Wisconsin. We are confident that we will win in these states , but happy that the people are getting to decide this issue."

He joined Kimbrell for an October 23 news conference outside the Spartanburg County Courthouse to help give a picture of what his group is seeing nationally.

According to the group "foreign citizen voting is legal in California, Illinois, Maryland, Vermont, and Washington, DC. New York City’s city council voted to legalize foreign citizen voting in 2021. The law that would enfranchise 900,000 foreign citizens is making its way through the court system."

Americans for Citizen Voting’s Briefing Book contains a list of the nineteen cities where they say non-citizen voting is now happening.

Jacob says this is not about immigration, "America as a country of immigrants we have stronger because of that we are proud of that we welcome immigrants," but he says the objective is to help immigrants become citizens and then vote legally.

If voters approve it, the amendment will return to the South Carolina legislature for a "one last vote" in January, only requiring a simple majority to pass.

South Carolina and North Carolina are two of eight states with "Citizen Only Voting" amendments on this November ballot.

Are you searching for things to do in Spartanburg, SC? You have definitely found the right article. We have all the info on every park in Spartanburg, a huge list of free things to do, lots and lots of things to do outdoors, special things to do for the holidays and every season, and lots more. No matter what you’re looking for, you’ll find something fabulous to do in Spartanburg, SC on this list.

What’s happening this month in Spartanburg? Find out in this list of events happening this month in Spartanburg, SC!

Explore Where You Live!Kidding Around’s Content by Location

The Best Things to Do in Spartanburg

We have some lists for some of the most popular things to do in Spartanburg with the family, kids, and even a list just for things to do with babies.

Things to Do Outdoors

If you are looking for outdoor fun in Spartanburg, SC, you’ll want to start with our Things to Do Outside in Spartanburg list. Then check out our HUGE Park Guide for Parks in Spartanburg and Greenville Counties. Then check out some of our favorite outdoor things to do below!

Downtown Spartanburg Things to Do

Heading to Downtown Spartanburg? There is so much to keep you busy with the family in Downtown Spartanburg. Check out our Weekend Itinerary for Spartanburg, especially if you are visiting town for a short time. Then see some of our favorite things in Downtown Spartanburg below!

Free Things To Do in Spartanburg

On budget? There are so many things you can do for FREE in Spartanburg!

Things to Do Inside

Here’s our giant list of things to do indoors in the Upstate! You can search for things to do in Spartanburg County by category and desired activity.

Places to Eat in Spartanburg

If you’re looking for a place to eat in Spartanburg, SC, look no further than this list of Restaurants in Spartanburg, SC.

Seasonal Things To Do

Winter: Winter Guide to SpartanburgSpring: Spring Guide to SpartanburgSummer: Summer Guide to Spartanburg Fall: Fall Festivals in Spartanburg

Holidays: Holiday Guide to Spartanburg, SC

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - After millions of people across the Southeast lost power during Helene, Upstate officials are looking for ways to mitigate future concerns by burying power lines.

“Can we bury these power lines underground? Absolutely, we can do it,” Spartanburg Co. District 3 councilman David Britt said.

Britt is advocating for a more resilient power grid. He says the biggest barrier is cost.

“If we can put a man on the moon in the sixties, there is no way we can’t figure out a way, an economical way, to do it,” he added.

Britt has been in touch with Duke Energy and Laurens Electric Cooperative and said they understand the gravity of the situation. Duke Energy told him they brought in 7,000 lines workers after Helene- more than 10 times the number during normal operations.

“What was the cost of bringing 7,000 people in, housing them and getting them food and water and all that they have to go through?” he asked.

Spartanburg Mayor Jerome Rice said the line workers have been taking notes. “They can tell you, ‘it would benefit this neighborhood; it would benefit that neighborhood as well,’ so they see it first hand.”

Rice also said Duke Energy has identified several neighborhoods to bury power lines in the city, including Hampton Heights, Converse Heights and Converse Street.

“You know there’s a big cost to do it; but hopefully not only the three that I named, but throughout the community, throughout the city, and the county- we can do it, as well, at some point,” Rice added.

Other communities interested in more resilient infrastructure include the Highland neighborhood, where LaSheba has called home for the last 25 years.

“As you can see in the background, we ended up with a lot of trees down around our homes and in our streets,” she said while pointing to debris behind her.

Downed trees continue to leave dangling power lines in the middle of the street.

“Having the power lines put underground would be worth investing in. I can guarantee it would be worth investing in. It works better, and I think it’s a lot more safer,” she explained.

“It’s not, ‘Can we afford it?’ We cannot not afford to do it. I mean, it’s absolutely necessary,” Britt agreed.

Britt said he hopes to form a task force with local, state and federal officials to address power grid needs.

Copyright 2024 WHNS. All rights reserved.

What is the best internet provider in Spartanburg?

Spectrum is the best internet service provider in the small South Carolina town of Spartanburg. Aside from its wide availability, Spectrum has no fees or contracts and offers low-income home broadband pricing for those who qualify. The internet service provider recently announced speed increases and price changes for its plans. Customers can now get 500 megabits per second for $50 or 1,000Mbps for $70 a month, a competitive price. AT&T Fiber and T-Mobile Home Internet are also available in Spartanburg, if Spectrum isn’t available at your address.

To simplify your shopping, we've compiled Spartanburg's top picks for speed and affordability. AT&T Fiber offers the fastest plan, costing $245 monthly for symmetrical speeds up to 5,000Mbps. T-Mobile offers convenient no-strings-attached plans that can get as low as $35 per month when you bundle with your cellphone plan. Whether you're looking for the fastest internet provider or symmetrical upload speeds, these are the plans worth signing on to in Spartanburg.

Best internet in Spartanburg, South Carolina, in 2024

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Spartanburg

The best internet deals and top promotions in Spartanburg depend on what discounts are available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.

Spartanburg internet providers, such as Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, such as AT&T and Verizon, run the same standard pricing year-round.

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How Fast Should Your Home Internet Be?

Answer 3 easy questions to discover our recommended speed for your household.

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you're looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here's an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines -- and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Spartanburg

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from FCC.gov.

But it doesn’t end there. We use the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and also consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis) and FCC reports.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

The Spartanburg VA Clinic is facing significant challenges in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which caused severe water damage, rendering the facility unusable.

Despite these setbacks, the Columbia VA Health Care System remains committed to ensuring the continuity of care for Veterans, employing creative solutions like the deployment of mobile medical units known as C-Forts.

Roger Depra, Chief of Community-Based Outpatient Care, explained that the hurricane had made the Spartanburg clinic unsafe for patient care. However, the arrival of the mobile medical unit has allowed care to resume at a limited capacity.

“Having the mobile medical unit is going to allow us to resume patient care, although in a limited capacity,” Depra said. “We’ll still have a clinician on-site along with a nurse to do face-to-face visits, in addition to the video visits we’ve been doing to continue care for Spartanburg.”

While the mobile medical unit may not fully restore all the services that the Spartanburg clinic typically provides, they are equipped to handle many key functions, including routine follow-up care, joint injections, and battlefield acupuncture. Veterans no longer need to drive to Greenville for these treatments, which is a welcome relief to many.

“We’ve been able to do virtual care for mental health and primary care, but it’s great to be able to bring joint injections and acupuncture back to Spartanburg,” Depra added. “For acute walk-in visits, we’ll also be able to handle those here.”

Despite the limitations, the staff has adapted well to the new circumstances. Services like mental health care, which naturally lend themselves to virtual care, have continued uninterrupted, and face-to-face visits for new patients have been conducted at other locations like Greenville.

“Although we’re not able to offer all services, we’ve worked hard to minimize the inconvenience to Veterans,” Depra explained. “We’ve been coordinating lab work at other locations, including Greenville, Anderson, or even the Columbia VA Medical Center.”

In addition to medical care, the team has been providing essential support to Veterans affected by the storm. The Vet Service Van has been a consistent presence, offering Veterans a place to charge phones, cool off, and access important community information, such as which stores and gas stations are open.

“We’ve been here for the Veterans even when the clinic itself hasn’t been available. Whether it’s helping them charge their phones, giving them water, or simply letting them know how their care will proceed, we’ve made sure to provide information and support in any way we can,” said Jacqueline Davis, Nurse Manager for Spartanburg.

Despite the physical displacement and disruption caused by the hurricane, the staff at the Spartanburg clinic has maintained a positive attitude. Davis noted that the team has stayed upbeat, even in the face of significant challenges.

“It’s been tough being displaced, but we’ve had a great attitude. We’re making lemonade out of lemons,” Davis said. “We’re screening Veterans as they come through, coordinating paperwork, managing injections, and funneling people to where they need to go. The team has really come together.”

Aaron Gaetel, Emergency Management Specialist with the VHA Office of Emergency Management (OEM), described the mobile medical unit as highly versatile. These 20-foot sea container platforms are designed to provide critical care capabilities in emergency situations like this one.

“The units are equipped with three exam rooms, a nurse’s station, sinks with potable water, and generation capabilities, which can also be hooked up to shore power,” Gaetel explained. “Theoretically, they can remain operational indefinitely as long as there’s a power source and they’re maintained.”

These units can be set up in just a few hours, and although the Spartanburg clinic is expected to remain under repair for some time, the mobile medical unit will provide a temporary solution that can meet many of the Veterans' immediate needs.

The timeline for the Spartanburg VA Clinic’s repairs remains uncertain. Local contractors are handling the building repairs, and the building owner is still navigating insurance claims. “We expect to be using the medical unit through at least the end of November,” Depra speculated.

Despite the uncertainty, Depra and the rest of the Spartanburg team remain committed to providing care. “The staff has done an amazing job of being flexible and continuing to provide care for Veterans, whether in person, virtually, or by coordinating essential services like lab work,” Depra emphasized.

The community and Veterans can rest assured that the staff at the Spartanburg VA Clinic is doing everything possible to minimize the impact of the storm on patient care.

With the clinic's reopening still on the horizon, the team remains focused on keeping Veterans informed and ensuring that their health care needs are met. The Acting Medical Center Director, Oscar G. Rodriguez, expressed his appreciation for the staff's resilience and flexibility during this challenging time.

“We are incredibly proud of our team’s resilience and dedication in the face of the challenges caused by Hurricane Helene. Their ability to adapt quickly and continue providing exceptional care for our Veterans, even in temporary facilities, speaks volumes about their commitment. While the situation is far from ideal, our focus remains on ensuring that every Veteran continues to receive the care they deserve. We appreciate the patience of the Spartanburg community as we work through these repairs, and we are committed to keeping everyone informed as we move forward,” said Rodriguez.

For more information about what’s going on at the Veterans medical center, clinic locations and other services available to Veterans in and around Columbia, visit the website https://www.va.gov/columbia-south-carolina-health-care/and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, keyword: VAColumbiaSC.

About the Columbia VAHCS:

The Columbia VAHCS comprises the Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center and seven community-based outpatient clinics located throughout South Carolina in Anderson, Florence, Greenville, Orangeburg, Rock Hill, Spartanburg, and Sumter; serving more than 90,000 veterans annually in 36 of 46 counties in South Carolina. The Columbia VA is a level 1b teaching hospital, providing a full range of patient care services, with state-of-the-art technology, education, and research. Comprehensive health care is provided through primary care, tertiary care and long-term care in areas of medicine, surgery, psychiatry, physical medicine, and rehabilitation.