It’s Friday! For today’s city update, it will be Q & A with actual questions I’ve been asked.
Q. What’s exciting in Newberry?
A Entrepreneurship, both in starting new businesses and new ideas. Characters Italian Smokehouse is now open at 2064 Wilson Road and is off to a great start. Owner Jeff Kagan, who also owns Legends Restaurant, says popular items at Characters so far include Detroit-style pizza, smoked wings, pasta and calzones.
The new Tropical Smoothie Café at 3102 Main Street already has a loyal following, and franchisee owner Dax Soni says business is going very well. I recommend the Caribbean jerk chicken flatbread.
Ebenezer Bakery is open at 1926 Main, beside the former Family Video. Primarily making bread for Hispanic grocery stores and restaurants, owner Lorenzo Cardinas and staff are now also selling retail to include sweet bread and rolls, sourdough, loaf bread, and pastries. He plans to add coffee in the future. The sweet bread we bought from Ebenezer was quite tasty.
At the former Steven W’s at 1100 Main Street, Voodoo Brewing Company is getting closer with an expected opening in June. The local franchisee owners, the Reikiel family, will serve craft beer and pub-style food such as burgers, pizza, and sandwiches like Voodoo’s popular “Chicky Chicky Bang Bang” chicken sandwich. The Reikiel’s have exciting plans and want to be involved in the community.
Other businesses in Newberry are adding new lines, new brands and new ideas. Thank you for supporting the Newberry business community.
Q. Do you know when the 121 bridge over I-26 will re-open? And on Glenn Street, what are all the signs covered up in black plastic?
A. SCDOT said last Friday the 121 bridge at exit 72 will re-open by April 27. On Glenn Street, the covered signs mean road work will begin soon. Repaving of Glenn will begin at the intersection of Evans Street, towards Smith Road, then through Kate Street, sometime between May—July, DOT says. The County Transportation Committee funded this and is funding additional paving projects throughout the county over the next two years.
Q. Is Newberry getting a charter school?
A. Probably. The Charter Institute of Erskine has approved Stellae Academy, a charter school to be located in Newberry County. The school would be a public school, tuition free and would be 4K--8th grade. Tutelage School Solutions is the education management organization working to help establish the school and has a number of steps in the process. As information, checking the list of the 100+ charter schools in South Carolina, by my count 17 counties don’t have a charter school with Newberry being one of the larger counties without one.
Q. I loved the first Newberry International Festival last week. When is the next festival?
A. The International Festival was fun, entertaining, educational and a big success. Big kudos to the city PRT staff, volunteers, and performers. The next city festival is the always popular Pork in the Park on Friday, April 25 and Saturday, April 26 with 19 BBQ teams competing and 10 selling to the public.
That week will also include the return of Towns in Tune, the SCETV filming for the culture exchange of Newberry and Bay Bulls, Newfoundland, Canada. After a group from Newberry visited Bay Bulls in June for performances and filming, our friends from Bay Bulls and ETV were in Newberry County in late September but Hurricane Helene quickly ended the celebration and filming. With the Canadians and ETV coming back in two weeks, we hope to have good crowds at the multiple events, which will include artists from Canada and the US at the Newberry Opera House on Wednesday, April 23 at 6:30 pm. The official welcome will be at Pork in the Park Friday at 6 pm with the singing of the American and Canadian national anthems by Matt Hamilton and accompanied by Pierre Harris, director of music at Aveleigh Presbyterian Church.
After Pork in the Park, the main event is Saturday at 7 pm as ETV converts a warehouse at Willingham & Sons into a concert hall with performances from popular Columbia group Tokyo Joe and Canadian musicians. Tickets are $35 and benefit local charities. ETV’s finished production of Bay Bulls and Newberry will be shown on PBS in the US and in Canada.
Also that week, as an experiment, Metz Culinary, which serves the Newberry College dining hall and increasingly caters locally, will open a one-day restaurant for lunch on Thursday, April 24 noon—3 pm at the Edward Kyzer Newberry Firehouse Center. Aimed at locals and people attending the 3 pm Drifters show at the Opera House, the $19.95 lunch buffet with a carving station, etc. sounds delicious. All details and reservations are available at newberrymetz.com/opera or 803-321-5151.
Q. I’m getting married. As mayor, can you officiate our wedding?
A. Congratulations! Mayors aren’t authorized to officiate weddings. But thanks for asking.
Q. What’s the latest on the Amphitheater, the Newberry Art Center and the Skate Park?
A. Design plans are about to be finalized for the Amphitheater, which will be located behind the post office. Construction on this county and city government project will begin later this year with opening targeted for fall, 2026. Steady progress is being made at the Newberry Art Center on Main Street. And at the Newberry Recreation Complex, the Skate Park construction is complete with landscaping and fencing underway and with opening coming soon thereafter.
Q. Can you give me a schedule of upcoming events?
A. Sure. April 12, Great American Clean-up, hosted by Keep Newberry County Beautiful. April 19, West End Spring Fling; April 25—26, Pork in the Park; May 3 at 9 am at Memorial Park: Spring Into Movement walk to encourage regular exercise; May 10, Ag + Art Tour of Newberry County.
Spring is a great time for weather, flowers and activities. I hope you enjoy.
No comments:
Post a Comment