Criminal Defense Attorney inSpartanburg, SC

Two states with ongoing measles outbreaks confirmed more cases, and more school exposures, today. In South Carolina, 27 new cases raise the state total to 114, while in Utah 10 new cases bring the total to 115.

South Carolina health officials announced the 27 new measles cases today, all in Spartanburg County, the epicenter of the growing Upstate outbreak that has now seen 111 of the state’s 114 cases. The outbreak was linked to exposures at two elementary schools earlier this fall.

The 27 new cases involved exposures at schools, churches, and in households. South Carolina officials also said one of the new case-patients was exposed in the health care setting.

“Sixteen of the new cases resulted from the previously reported exposure at the Way of Truth Church in Inman, eight of the cases are household members of known cases, one resulted from a previously reported school exposure, one was from an exposure in a health care setting, and the source of exposure is unknown for one of the cases,” the South Carolina Department of Public Health said in a

There are currently 254 people in quarantine and 16 in isolation. Forty-three of those in quarantine are students at Inman Intermediate School.

Seventy-five of the measles patients in South Carolina are between the ages of 5 and 17. And 105 case-patients are unvaccinated, while there have been three partially vaccinated, one fully vaccinated, and two with unknown immunization status.

Utah has cases in the past week, raising the state total to 115. The most recent case occurred over the weekend and was linked to an exposure at the Kopper Kids child care facility, located within Bingham High School in South Jordan in Salt Lake County.

Authorities noted that the most recent patient attended the child care facility while infectious last week, and that the person was unvaccinated against the virus. It is not known if the case-patient was a child or an adult.

“Measles is extremely contagious, so quick action is critical,” said Dorothy Adams, MPA, executive director of the Salt Lake County Health Department, in a . “Because we don't know where this infection originated, it's important that everyone in the Bingham school community be aware of symptoms and the possibility they were exposed.”

So far this year there have been only three measles cases in Salt Lake County. Most cases in Utah (82) have been reported in the Southwest Utah health district, which borders Arizona.

When an active community is coupled with accessible outdoor spaces, the result can lead to vibrant, healthy lifestyles for residents. Spartanburg, SC, fits that description, supporting groups and organizations dedicated to fostering physical fitness and social connections. In recent years, collaborations have formed across the city to encourage gatherings, especially those among younger generations. The following meetups and a host of others make maintaining healthy habits and connecting with like-minded individuals in Spartanburg, SC, easy and fun. Whether your reasons for attending are personal or professional, these nontraditional networking groups bring plenty of excitement and allow attendees to swap business casual for athleisure.

Walking: Girls Who Walk – Upstate SC

Girls Who Walk is aimed at supporting women and connecting early career professionals through free social walking groups. These female-only meetups are meant to promote self-care, confidence, connection and, most of all, movement, with every fitness ability welcome. Details for events hosted by the Upstate South Carolina chapter are regularly posted on the group’s social media accounts.

Regular attendance is not required, so walkers can choose to walk once or join every single outing. Past walks have been held at Drayton Mills in Spartanburg as well as Swamp Rabbit Trail, Unity Park, Legacy Park and Greer City Park in nearby cities. Most of the walks are dog-, stroller- and child-friendly unless specified. Occasionally, the meetups include other activities such as yoga classes, pickleball, dance fitness, brunch or happy hour events. Girls Who Walk also partners with many local businesses to support causes, raise awareness, fundraise or celebrate holidays and themes.

Running: Rockers Run Club

If beer and running buddies sound like your kind of combination, Rockers Run Club should be at the top of your list. It began in 2016 as a partnership between PAL: Play. Advocate. Live Well., a nonprofit focused on making Spartanburg healthier, and Rockers Brewing Co. Seth Novak organizes the current iteration and has watched it develop in strides over the last few years.

“Ned Barrett (with PAL at the time) and Clay McDonough (with Rockers at the time) thought it might be fun to try to draw some active folks together to see what kind of community could form,” Novak says. “Fast forward to me taking over the club about four years ago. I decided to really amp up the social media aspect of the run, adding a lot of pictures, themed nights, shoutouts to club members, fundraisers, etc. The combination of all these things helped draw a lot more folks together and really exploded the running community in town.”

The events are held year-round at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays at the brewery, and newcomers need only show up ready to clock a few miles. Strollers and dogs are encouraged, too. After a short meet-and-greet, runners complete a loop through downtown (at their own pace, of course) and join back at the bar for optional craft beers and bites. Rockers is family friendly and, in addition to adult beverages, serves everything from salad and wings to smashburgers and flatbreads. As a bonus, it also has the area’s first indoor golf simulator – another great way to connect with others in Spartanburg, SC.

For pedal-powered excitement, nonprofit The Freewheelers of Spartanburg is another option for exercise and connection in Spartanburg, SC. It’s been around since 1973 and describes itself as a community service organization that works to provide bicycle safety, education and promotion as well as a forum for amateur sports competition and touring. Single memberships begin at $35, while families pay $50. The group gathers weekly to ride a variety of trails and routes, but these lessen during colder months. Ride details, including ride leader, distance and pace, are always featured so members can ensure every ride is a good fit for them.

Karl Johnson has been with The Freewheelers since 2009 after a running injury led him to cycling. He says those who are interested can learn everything they need to know about news, events and essential info from The Freewheeler’s website or Facebook page.

“During daylight saving time and warmer weather, we have rides posted six days a week,” he says. “Fridays seem to be the only day left out.”

Of course, there’s always the option to extend the meetup to meals and other activities or even break off into separate rides.

Spartanburg, SC, offers plenty of things to do throughout the week. After a long or stressful workday, consider enjoying one of the city’s many activities that will help you relax and have fun. Here are five itineraries for things to do after work in Spartanburg, SC. They are sure to help you inject a little more life into your Monday through Friday.

1. The Great Outdoors

If you’re craving some fresh air after a day spent in a stuffy office, going outside might be exactly what you need. When the weather is good, grab your bike or a pair of walking shoes and hit the trails and parks. Trust us, there are plenty to choose from.

Duncan Park is a great option, especially if you love spending time by the water. It has paved trails, tennis and pickleball courts, and a playground. Plus, if you’re feeling extra adventurous, you can kayak on Duncan Park Lake.

Another option is the Mary Black Rail Trail, which is just south of downtown and spans 2 miles. Bike rentals are available at the trailhead if you don’t have your own gear.

After you’ve spent some quality time outdoors, head over to Fretwell, a family-friendly gathering spot on the Mary Black Rail Trail, which has food/drink establishments like Little River Cafe and The Spartan.

2. Artsy Party

When it comes to things to do, Spartanburg, SC’s, arts scene has options. The city boasts beautiful murals scattered downtown as well as various art galleries and collections available for perusing. Take a self-guided mural tour downtown or head to a gallery to take in unique exhibits.

“I love popping into The Johnson Collection and talking about art with Blake Batten, the museum’s community engagement coordinator, who is very passionate and knowledgeable about the pieces in the collection,” says resident Livingston Hawkins III.

The Johnson Collection is an art museum that is open from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, so plan to drop by when you have a half day or if you get off a little early. Once you’ve taken in the arts, treat yourself to a delicious meal at The Lemongrass Kitchen for some incredible Vietnamese fare.

“It serves some of the best tofu dishes in town, and I jokingly tell my friends that the pho at The Lemongrass can cure all ailments,” Hawkins III says.

3. Sports for the Win

If you’re looking for things to do with friends, want to meet new people or simply love sports, joining an intramural league in Spartanburg, SC, is a must. The Spartanburg County Parks Department offers adult leagues in kickball, ultimate frisbee and senior softball (ages 55 and up), and you can sign up on its website. You’re guaranteed to have a good time and enjoy the team camaraderie.

Win or lose, head over to Rockers Brewing Co. afterward for some celebratory (or conciliatory) drinks and delicious grub. It offers an excellent selection of beer on tap and has a big open space with plenty of long tables for people to gather around. Pro tip: If you’re feeling hungry, try the fish and chips.

4. Me Time

If you prefer a quiet activity after work, consider joining a silent book club, where you can enjoy the company of fellow book lovers while maintaining your own autonomy and solitude.

Starting in January 2026, Silent Book Club Spartanburg will be hosting its event at The Hub Taproom from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month.

“This is a chill, bring-whatever-you-are-already-reading book club. It’s a really fun time, and the taproom is a great host,” Hawkins III says.

Though The Hub Taproom does offer food, you can also grab a quick, delicious dinner beforehand at Chef Ae’s (it closes at 7:30 p.m.), which is located nearby.

“Chef Ae’s is an amazing fusion spot,” Hawkins III says. “It has a pork curry that is tender, sweet and spicy, and it’s my go-to dish.”

One of the best things to do after work in Spartanburg, SC, when you want to unwind and chill is listen to live music. Check out the weekly jam and open-mic night at FR8yard on Thursdays or live music at Delaney’s Irish Pub on Wednesdays and Fridays.

During warmer months, the City of Spartanburg hosts its Music on Main live concert series at Morgan Square downtown. The free concerts take place from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays from April through July. While you’re downtown, make a night of it and treat yourself to dinner and a glass of wine at Sophia’s for some authentic Italian cuisine. Its lasagna is said to be the best in the Upstate, and the atmosphere is cozy and warm.

With several key developments in the works or already finished, downtown Spartanburg, SC, is getting a welcome facelift. OneSpartanburg Inc., an organization that works to build a more vibrant community, asked residents what the city needed in a 2017 survey and the answer was clear, says Katherine O’Neill, the organization’s chief economic development officer.

“The No. 1 thing, and the margin was so high, was to work on downtown,” she says.

That answer was quickly turned into action. The extraordinary, ongoing renovation of downtown is mostly being done by a hometown, family-owned firm called The Johnson Group, and O’Neill says the group is developing in five years what would take 20-plus years in most cities.

“They’re investing in their hometown, and we are so grateful,” she says. “It’s almost unprecedented to have this much quality development done by a single nationally renowned developer.”

O’Neill says there’s still much work ahead, but people are already starting to take notice.

“We’re seeing a large in-migration,” she says, “and some of those people are boomerangs, or those who grew up here, left and are now coming back because this is where they want to raise their families. The downtown redevelopment has instituted a sense of pride in the community that we haven’t seen in a long time,” she says.

Energy Is Growing

One early career professional who is excited about the developments taking shape in Spartanburg, SC, is Tyson Jeffers, who is the general manager of the Hub City Spartanburgers, the city’s minor league baseball team.

“People here recognize that the future relies on new ideas and new people looking to be a part of this growth and keep it going,” says Jeffers, who moved to Spartanburg in 2023.

The Spartanburgers, the High A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, played the 2025 season in their brand-new home, Fifth Third Park. The club made it to its league championship series before falling short, but Jeffers says every home game felt like opening night.

“From an attendance standpoint, we crushed it,” he says. “So much energy every night. It was very special for the community.”

Jeffers says Fifth Third Park isn’t just about baseball; it’s key to downtown Spartanburg’s renaissance.

“We talk about it as a community facility,” he says. “Beyond our games, we’ve had a full schedule – concerts, high school baseball, health fairs, expos, the Fourth of July fireworks show. The park seats 3,500 for games, but capacity for other events is 5,000, and we offer things you’d see at a major league park, like state-of-the-art technology, free Wi-Fi, light shows, a video board – things that make a memorable family experience.”

O’Neill says Fifth Third Park will soon have plenty of company downtown that people who’ve been away for a while won’t recognize. In addition to a new hotel coming to West Main Street, she says two other residential developments are going up on West Broad Street in Spartanburg, SC – one by The Johnson Group and another by Barrett Realty Investments. While they are a couple of years from completion, she says they will be the first modern, high-end urban multifamily structures built in the downtown core.

“With the city and county working together to incentivize high-end projects downtown, we’re seeing multifamily projects come out of the ground,” she says.

Morgan Square is considered downtown Spartanburg’s front yard, and it, too, is set for a makeover.

“It’s so necessary for the development of a downtown to have viable urban parks as an integral part of the downtown neighborhood,” she says.

Outdoor spaces are the forte of PAL: Play. Advocate. Live Well., a nonprofit focused on making Spartanburg healthier.

PAL Executive Director Laura Ringo says the organization’s hallmark is building trail networks. It’s working on the Daniel Morgan Trail System, which will be the 55-mile “physical link tying people to all these downtown projects,” she says.

Ringo says that when the Daniel Morgan buildout approached a Norfolk Southern railroad trestle, officials with the nonprofit and railroad started talking. The result was that PAL and two other nonprofits bought a 31-mile rail corridor between Inman, about 25 minutes from Spartanburg, and Saluda, NC.

Engineering is under way, she says, and in a couple of years, ground will be broken on the Saluda Grade Trail System, once the steepest rail line in the continental United States, with a 5.5% grade.

“Our intent is to remove the rails and make it a corridor focused on pedestrians and nonvehicular travel,” she says.

A resident for two decades, Ringo says Spartanburg, SC’s, developments have and will continue to be thoughtful as they progress.

“You don’t want to go into downtown and feel like you could be anywhere,” she says. “We’re going to have something that feels very Spartanburg.”

SPARTANBURG — Early next year, Denny’s plans to release a new sweet and savory breakfast menu item. And although the company is keeping the dish secret for now, it was developed in the test kitchen housed in Denny’s Tower in downtown Spartanburg.

The Denny’s test kitchen helps develop new menu items and does quality control for other products served in Denny’s around the country, from slices of bread to sausage to maple syrup.

The Post and Courier took a tour inside the kitchen to see how it all works.

Product testing

Adjacent to the test kitchen is a food lab, where Ashley Martinez, Denny’s manager of product development and innovation, tests all kinds of products that might get served in a Denny’s restaurant.

When a vendor has a product that might get served in Denny’s — say, a sausage patty — Denny’s will test the product to make sure it’s in line with company regulations, including its size, ingredient list and even if it meets Denny’s standards for the number of broken sausages it allows per package.

For maple syrup, to use another example, Martinez will have the vendor send just the flavor so she can test it for color, taste and aroma. For other liquid-type products, Martinez will test their viscosity to help determine shelf life or whether the product could be used in a squeeze bottle.

It usually takes about six months before a product is approved to be served in the restaurants. Most of that work goes through Spartanburg.

“Any product that is going to have a Denny’s label on it, we do see it first before it goes out there,” said Martinez, who holds a degree in clinical lab science.

New product

Most of Denny’s new products also get developed in the Spartanburg test kitchen.

Some products developed in the test kitchen include the salted caramel banana pancakes, the Rudolph pancakes and the triple juicy burger, which was originally developed in a promotional partnership for the Beetlejuice movie but was so popular it stayed on the menu.

It usually takes 6-to-8 months to fully develop a product. The ideas usually come from either the marketing department or the test kitchen itself. Then they have to make sure people like the idea.

“We either do focus groups or sensory tests, or put it to a test market,” said Mike Potter, Denny’s product and development chef.

“We just did a focus group where we do four different groups of Denny's customers and we make the recipes right here in the facility,” Potter said. “We have a facilitator that asks them certain questions that we need to know, like flavor, visually, how it looks.”

And the critical question, product viability, which is “if they’ll actually come into a store to buy it,” said Martinez.

Next year, Denny’s plans to roll out a host of new products throughout the year, although they’re being kept under wraps for now.

“It’s going to be a lot,” Potter said. “I don’t think we can tell you the exact things but there’s a bunch of new stuff.”