Personal Injury Attorney in Newberry, SC

With its rich history and well-preserved architecture, the 236-year-old city continues to captivate both residents and visitors from around the globe.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — For the first time, the historic City of Newberry has been recognized by HGTV as one of America’s most charming small towns. The 236-year-old South Carolina city continues to captivate residents and visitors with its rich history and well-preserved architecture.

“Now that we are getting the publicity out and people are noticing more, we are just really proud of that and welcome people to come to Newberry,” Mayor Foster Senn said.

Senn made his remarks while standing in the town’s beloved Wells Japanese Garden, a historic landmark. Reflecting on his childhood hometown’s growth and revitalization, he expressed appreciation for how Newberry has blossomed into a must-see travel destination after being recognized by one of America’s most popular home improvement and lifestyle networks.

“Our small businesses have beautified old buildings downtown and repurposed them,” Senn said. “So we have taken the things we have, updated them, and saved them, and people really take pride in that.”

Newberry Opera House Executive Director Anne Pinckney Smith echoed Senn’s sentiments.

“I always tell people, once they come, they never don’t come back,” Smith said. "Newberry does things one time, and they do it well. Visitors are always in awe that this little town thinks this big!”

The iconic opera house has hosted world-renowned musicians and performers, adding to Newberry’s artistic appeal.

“The Opera House has hosted Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, Lee Greenwood. I always joke that when we go to New York and they ask where I’m from, and I say Newberry Opera House, they say, ‘Oh my God!’” Smith said.

Smith credits the historic venue's intimate setting with allowing performers to interact with the audience, creating a unique and unforgettable experience.

“It’s just a little more of a relaxed environment, and that is why people come here. There’s not a bad seat in the house,” Smith said. “We just finished a $1.8 million renovation this past summer, investing in top-of-the-line equipment. Now, it’s a fantastic New York-style experience right here in Newberry, S.C.”

The Newberry Museum preserves the town’s deep-rooted history blocks from the Opera House on Main Street.

“Newberry was very big in the mill industry, and when the mills pulled out, so many towns struggled. But Newberry found that balance—remaining economically viable while still maintaining its small-town atmosphere and community,” said Steven Knapp, executive director of the museum.

Knapp said that much of Newberry’s charm comes from its well-kept historic buildings.

“A lot of these big businesses—Samsung and Kiswire, just as an example—when they moved into the county, they became part of the community,” Knapp said. “Even our museum has received support from both industries. It’s not about coming in and replacing; it’s about becoming a part of what is already here.”

That mindset, Knapp added, is what makes Newberry truly one of the most unique small towns in America.

SOUTH CAROLINA — Our winter storm is underway; roads will be slick over much of the state through Saturday morning.

Key points:

Ice buildup can cause scattered tree and power line damage in a swath across the southern Upstate, northern Central Savannah River Area, northern Midlands, and upper Pee Dee.

Melting will be slow over the weekend:

Snow and ice will mostly melt away Saturday afternoon southeast of I-85, but any lingering puddles or slush will refreeze Saturday night and there can be icy patches Sunday morning.

Lingering snow and ice along and north of I-85 will freeze Saturday night as temperatures fall to the teens. Highs only in the 30s Sunday mean there may still be some slush and meltwater on the roads freezing up again Sunday night and lead to icy patches early Monday.

The winter storm is underway over much of South Carolina. It moved in ahead of schedule along I-20 and even south. The cacophony of ice pellets striking my HVAC compressor unit is quite a distraction as I write this.

Heavy snow and sleet along I-20 and the sleet and snow around Charleston this morning probably won’t be the only surprises we see. Stay on your toes if you have to be out, and be as cautious as you can.

This band of … slop … will cause slippery travel over the I-20 Corridor this afternoon and evening and for much of the Pee Dee. This band should slowly edge northward as the afternoon wears on. I’ve been told we already have numerous wrecks along I-95, I-26, and I-20. Meanwhile, snow is spreading over the Upstate. That will mix with sleet and freezing rain later today and tonight.

The messy mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain along I-20 should turn to mainly freezing rain later today and eventually to plain rain tonight as it warms above 32°. Further north, things appear to be working out more as expected. Roads will get slick this afternoon and remain slick into Saturday across this area, especially in the areas that see the heaviest wintry slop northwest of I-85.

Power outages and tree damage will be a concern in the area that sees the worst of the freezing rain later today and tonight. This area has been shifted southward a bit since Thursday evening.

The snow and ice will melt slowly this weekend. We’ll get rid of some of it Saturday as it warms up to the 40s, but any lingering slush or standing water on the roads will freeze back up Saturday night as temperatures fall to the high teens and low 20s over most of the state. So, be ready for icy roads early Sunday, especially along and north of I-85, where more snow and sleet will fall. Sunday will be quite cold, with highs only in the 30s where the ice and snow linger and 40s elsewhere, so melting will be slow, and we might still have some slippery spots to contend with Monday morning in the Upstate.

Next week looks dry and chilly. A mainly moisture-starved cold front will move through later Monday or Monday night; some light rain with that feature mainly passing by to our south could clip the Lowcountry. Behind this front, it gets colder again, with highs mainly in the 40s across the state Tuesday through Thursday.

Warmer days are coming on Friday and Saturday before another cold front moves in next weekend. Early signs are that this cold front will have more moisture to work with and cause some rain. However, timing is in question. It looks like the earliest it would arrive would be next Saturday afternoon.

Our next News19 Teacher of the Week can be found at Newberry Middle School. He's a Marine veteran with a love for history.

NEWBERRY, S.C. — We travel to ancient Rome with our next News19 Teacher of the Week.

Mr. Troy White is a Newberry Middle School teacher with a love for history.

“Always have been a history guy. I was not great in school. I barely slid my way out of high school. But it's a lesson that I try to tell them all the time," says White, "We talk about grades a lot and how that sets you up for different things down the road, even at this age.”

After serving with the U.S Marines during the first Gulf War, White spent 12 years as a salesman before becoming an educator.

Credit: Troy White

“I taught fourth grade for a couple of years over at Gallman Elementary School, and I taught U.S. History over there, and science and math. And then I've come here, and I've had to teach math a couple of years here because of teacher shortages, but it's always been history every year,” says White.

But teaching didn’t come easy for White.

“My second-year teaching was not very good, to the point that I wanted to quit," says White. "From teacher evaluations to district evaluations and everything in between. Anything I can do to help them lessen that burden that they have those first couple of years, I want to do that.”

Now with a decade of teaching under his belt, White's students say he’s making history fun.

“He's so funny, and he's a good teacher. He teaches U.S. History. He makes his class fun," says student Justin Parker.

Credit: WLTX

“I used to not be very good at history, but it's now my favorite subject. I'm not a very good reader, but he gives us a lot of reading work. And since it's history, it’s more interesting to read,” says student Taygen Hazel.

And when he’s not teaching, White also coaches football, archery and works as a teaching mentor, evaluator and bus driver.

White wants his students to one day help change the world

“A baseline of knowledge of how the world used to work. So maybe we can do something different down the road,” says White.

“He's a good teacher, and I want him to keep teaching,” says Parker.

If you know a teacher like Mr. White who deserves to be recognized for their hard work in the classroom you can nominate them by emailing us at TOW@WLTX.COM. Tell us what that educator is doing every day to go above and beyond in the classroom.