Personal Injury Attorney in Spartanburg, SC

SPARTANBURG — If all goes to plan, the Saluda Grade Trails Conservancy will buy 31.5 miles of Norfolk Southern railroad for $31.5 million by the end of July, paving the way for the construction of the Saluda Grade rail trail, funded in part by the sale of train track steel.

The cost of the purchase is split between the states of North and South Carolina, with each allocating about $15 million, said conservancy founder and chair Glenn Hillard.

“The money is being held until we make the final decision that we’re going to close the deal,” Hilliard said. “The contract is for that price unless something comes up differently. When we close, that money will be transferred to Norfolk Southern.”

The conservancy, made up of Spartanburg PAL, Upstate Forever and Conserving Carolina, announced last summer it was under contract to buy Norfolk Southern’s Saluda Grade corridor, which is also split almost evenly between the two Carolinas — the N.C. side is a half-mile longer.

But first, it has to do due diligence, which involves surveys, title work and an environmental assessment.

“We’re doing a survey of the corridor so we know exactly what we’re buying, where the property lines are, the acreage of the corridor and how wide it is,” said Laura Ringo, the executive director of Spartanburg PAL. “We want to make sure we’re really clear on where our property line is gonna be.”

As part of the due diligence work, the conservancy is also hiring consultants to come up with an economic development plan with a focus on tourism marketing, and work on community engagement to keep the public involved in the trail building process, Ringo said.

All of that work is funded by $1 million, which comes from grants, $300,000 from the state of North Carolina and $225,000 in federal dollars secured by U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Design and engineering

Once the group has secured the corridor, the design and construction work will begin. The final cost of designing and building the trail is still undetermined.

The conservancy has $6 million in federal funds that could help pay for design and construction work, and it plans to sell the steel railroad tracks, which could also help fund construction.

The group has been working with Norfolk Southern to identify potential buyers for the steel, Hilliard said. But the price depends on a lot of market factors. Some of the rails could be sold to other railroads, and some may be melted down.

The total haul could be anywhere from several hundred thousand dollars to a few million.

“We don’t have any bids or answers specifically for how much it’s going to be right now,” Hilliard said. “It’s too early to say, really. It’s not going to be mammoth.”

The federal dollars and track sale won’t cover the full construction. The price will vary depending on the type of trail. And the type of trail could depend on its location within the corridor.

A cost analysis estimated that the smallest and cheapest trail to construct would be an 8- or 12-foot-wide asphalt or concrete trail with a 3-foot shoulder, at about $1.1 million per mile. The most expensive trail would be a 14-foot asphalt trail with a retaining wall at $5.5 million per mile.

That doesn’t include the eight bridges, which are all salvageable but need work. Nor does it include the 47 street crossings.

Because the cost of building the trail at once is prohibitive, the conservancy plans to spend years building it in phases, prioritized by which sections can be paid for first.

“The way we prioritize will definitely be dependent on funding,” Ringo said. “I think because the scale is significant, we’re gonna have to have lots of different sources to make this a reality.”

School districts are beginning to announce decisions about classes on Monday due to road conditions.

We will continue to add to this list as we learn more.

Scroll down for school districts in Western North Carolina.

Anderson County Schools:

Due to road conditions across the county, Anderson County Schools will operate on a 2-hour Delay Schedule for Monday, Jan. 13.

This will ensure safer school transportation after daybreak.

Cherokee County Schools:

Cherokee County School District One is on a 2-Hour Delay for Monday, Jan. 13.

Busses will not run on icy roads. Student drivers are urged to use extra caution.

Greenwood County School District 52:

Ninety Six Schools will operate on a normal schedule on Monday, Jan. 13.

Greenville County Schools:

Schools in Greenville County will operate on a two-hour delay for Monday.

School District of Pickens:

The School District of Pickens County (SDPC) will open on a two-hour delay on Monday, January 13, 2025, due to the continued danger of ice on shaded areas and on secondary roads. The two-hour delay gives additional time for ice to melt off the roads and will improve visibility for drivers.

Buses will NOT travel on icy roads. For the full list of roads that buses will not travel on, click here.

High school students (including Career Center) should check their Schoology messages for adjusted class times and bell schedules.

Spartanburg School District One

Spartanburg One will operate on a two-hour delay schedule for Monday, Jan. 13.

Spartanburg School District Two

The district will operate on a two-hour delay schedule for Monday, Jan. 13.

Spartanburg School District Three

The district will operate on a two-hour delay schedule for Monday, Jan. 13.

Spartanburg School District Four

Spartanburg School District Four will operate on a normal schedule tomorrow, Jan. 13.

Spartanburg School District Five

The district will operate on a two hour delay.

Spartanburg School District Six

The district will operate on a two hour delay.

Spartanburg School District Seven

District 7 will operate on a two-hour delay on Monday, Jan. 13.

Union County Schools:

UCSD will be on normal operating schedule tomorrow, January 13.

School District of Oconee County:

SDOC will operate on a 2 Hour Delay on Monday, Jan. 13th.

North Carolina

Buncombe County Schools:

Buncombe County Schools will operate on an asynchronous remote learning day and optional teacher workday for Monday Jan. 13.

Asheville City Schools:

Asheville City Schools will be operating on a Remote Learning Day for Monday, January 13.

Henderson County Public Schools:

HCPS will operate on a Remote Learning Day for Monday, January 13.

As always, staff should communicate with your principal or supervisor should you have concerns about reporting in the morning.

All JCPS schools will be closed for students on Monday. It is an optional teacher workday.

Macon County Schools:

Macon County Schools- Franklin area will have a Remote Learning Day tomorrow, Monday, Jan. 13.

McDowell County Schools:

McDowell County Schools will be closed for students on Monday.

Staff may report on a two-hour delay for a teacher workday or use annual leave time.

Mitchell County School:

Mitchell County Schools will be closed for students tomorrow, Monday, January 13.

It will be a Schedule 2 Workday for staff.

There will be no remote learning tomorrow.

Polk County Schools:

Polk County Schools will be closed Monday for students.

Rutherford County Schools:

Rutherford County Schools will observe a remote learning day for students and an optional teacher workday for school employees on Monday, Jan. 13.

Swain County Schools:

Swain County Schools will be closed for students on Monday. It is an optional teacher workday.

Transylvania County Schools:

Transylvania County Schools will have a virtual day Monday, Jan. 13.

Yancey County Schools:

Yancey County Schools will be closed on Monday, but it will be a teacher workday.

Upstate schools have started making announcement about school closings.

The following announcements were taken from Spartanburg and Anderson district's Facebook accounts and a statement from Greenville County Schools.

Greenville County Schools

Due to unsafe travel conditions early, Greenville County Schools will operate on a two-hour delay tomorrow, Monday, January 13, according to a statement from Greenville County schools.

Bus routes will begin two hours later than normal and schools and offices will open to receive students two hours later than usual.

Buses will not run on specific icy roads that are impassable, and for students whose routes are impacted, families will be notified directly by the Transportation Department.

The school day will conclude at its regular time.

Spartanburg District 1

After evaluating road conditions in the area, Spartanburg One will operate on a two-hour delay schedule for Monday, January 13.

While many of the main roads in the area are clear, there are still a number of secondary roads in the attendance area that are icy and hazardous for travel. This delay will allow buses, staff, parents, and student drivers to travel more safely to school.

"We encourage parents to carefully assess road conditions in your area and make the final decision regarding travel for your student driver," according to the post.

Bus transportation and school morning drop-off times will be exactly two hours later than normal schedules.

"As always, the safety of our students and staff is our top priority. We appreciate your understanding and continued support."

Spartanburg District 2

D2 families, due to current road conditions resulting from the recent winter weather, and in consideration of the safety of our buses and student-drivers, we will begin Monday on a two-hour delay.

For our students that ride the bus, please plan to be at your stop two hours later than your usual pickup time. We also ask for patience as buses may be traveling more slowly than usual as a precaution.

Spartanburg District 3

After careful consideration and out of an abundance of caution, Spartanburg School District Three will operate on a two-hour delay on Monday, January 13.

"While most routes in our community are mainly clear, some icy patches persist on back roads. A two-hour delay will allow daylight to improve visibility and give the ice more time to melt, ensuring safer travel for everyone.

"Thank you for your patience and understanding, as safety is always our top priority."

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Spartanburg School District 4

District 4 Schools will resume a normal schedule on Monday, January 13, 2025.

Spartanburg School District 5

Out of an abundance of caution, all District Five schools will operate on a two hour delay on Monday, January 13.

Due to this weekend's winter weather, ice still remains on roadways in outlying parts of the district. A two hour delay allows for more visibility for our buses, and all drivers.

Elementary schools will begin at 9:30 a.m. and middle and high school at 10:15 a.m. School buses will run two hours later than their normal pick up times. We look forward to seeing all students and staff tomorrow!

Spartanburg School District 6

Spartanburg County School District Six will operate on a two-hour delay for January 13. Our safety team spent the morning and afternoon assessing road conditions. While most routes in the community are mainly clear, some icy patches persist on back roads, particularly in the northern areas of the county. These conditions could create a safety risk for buses, student drivers, and staff traveling in those areas. A two-hour delay will allow daylight to improve visibility and give the ice more time to melt, creating safer travel for everyone.

"Thank you for your patience and understanding, as safety is always our top priority."

Two-Hour Delay Times:

Elementary Schools - The tardy bell will ring at 9:45.

Middle Schools - The tardy bell will ring at 10 a.m. Students will report to homeroom.

Dorman Freshman Campus - The tardy will be ring at 10:10. Students will begin in 1st block.

Dorman Main Campus - The tardy will be ring at 10:20. Students will begin in 1st block.

Child Development Center - Morning classes that dismiss at 10:15 are canceled.

RDA & MSC – Will begin accepting students at 3rd block.

A two-hour delay means that buses will arrive two hours later than normal. For example, if your bus normally arrives at 6:30 a.m., it should arrive at approximately 8:30 a.m.

Spartanburg School District 7

District 7 will operate on a two-hour delay on Monday, January 13.

Our safety team spent the day assessing road conditions, and found many icy patches persist on back roads. These conditions could create a safety risk for our buses, student drivers, and staff traveling in those areas. A two-hour delay will allow daylight to improve visibility and temperatures time to rise.

Two-Hour Delay Times:

A two-hour delay means everything shifts back two hours from its normal time. For example, if your bus normally arrives at 6:30 a.m., it should arrive at approximately 8:30 a.m. The tardy bell for each school will be exactly two hours later than that school’s tardy bell on a regular school day.

"Thank you for your patience and understanding, as safety is always our top priority."

Anderson School District 1

Tomorrow, Monday, January 13, out of an abundance of caution, all schools in Anderson School District One will operate on a 2-hour delay.

Anderson School District 5

Due to hazardous road conditions from the winter weather over the weekend, Anderson School District Five will operate on a two-hour delay Monday, January 13. All Anderson Five schools and offices will operate on the modified schedule below:

Early Childhood and Elementary will begin at 10 a.m.

Middle School will begin at 10:10 a.m.

High School will begin at 10:20 a.m.

Elementary students will report to their homeroom, middle school students will report to second period, and high school students will report to Second Block. Students who attend the Anderson Institute of Technology and Southwood Academy of the Arts will report to Second Block, with bus transportation being provided at approximately 10 a.m. at each home high school. Breakfast will not be served, lunch will be served as normal.

Anderson Five Transportation Services will also operate on a two-hour delay. This means students will be picked up two hours later than their normal pick-up time (children who are normally picked up at 6:30 a.m. will be picked up at 8:30 a.m. on Monday.). To ensure the safety of students and drivers, buses will not be able to travel over roads deemed unsafe. If a student's pick-up location is deemed impassable, parents will be notified via the My Ride K12 mobile app.

Please reach out to your child's principal with any questions.

Anderson School District 2

Out of an abundance of caution, Anderson Two will operate on a two-hour delay tomorrow, January 13, to ensure students and staff can safely drive to school during daylight hours.

Anderson School District 3

After evaluating road conditions in our area, Anderson 3 will operate on a two-hour delay schedule for Monday, January 13.

A two-hour delay will allow for safer roadway travel conditions, as many roads in our attendance zone are shaded and still have snow/ice.

Bus transportation and school morning drop-off times will be exactly two hours later than normal schedules.

Anderson School District 4

Statement from Anderson School District Four

The safety of our employees and families remains our top priority. While significant progress has been made, there are still areas in shaded spots across the district that remain unsafe for buses and cars. We urge everyone to exercise caution while traveling to ensure that all members of our community can arrive at school safely.

To allow additional time for improved conditions, Anderson 4 will operate on a 2-hour delay. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work together to prioritize safety.

Thank you for your patience and commitment to keeping our community safe.

Snow, ice totals in Upstate

According to Thomas Winesett, National Weather Service — GSP Airport meteorologist, higher snowfall totals landed in the western portion of Anderson County and northern Greenville County.

Here is how much snow each county in the Upstate received on Friday, Jan. 10:

Friday freezing rain totals for Upstate on Friday, January 10

A.J. Jackson contributed to this article.

SPARTANBURG — After 1,090 days, the snow drought has ended.

Spartanburg saw measurable snow — its first such accumulation in three years — as schools were canceled and some businesses closed today, Jan. 10, to account for the wintery weather that's seldom seen in the Upstate.

It's part of a major winter storm that has blanketed parts of the South in snow and ice and led to winter storm warnings across the region.

Here's the latest:

Officials warn of icy roads across Upstate

7:45 p.m. — With temperatures expected to stay below freezing until after 9 a.m. Saturday and more snow, sleet and freezing rain expected to fall, officials warn to expect deteriorating conditions and icy roads.

“I wouldn't get out on the road unless you have to," Jeffrey Taylor, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Greenville-Spartanburg office, told The Post and Courier.

Interstates and other major thoroughfares will likely remain clear, Taylor said, but secondary roads could prove troublesome.

Overnight as temperatures continue to drop, roads could become icy and dangerous for travel. If you don’t have to be out on the roads, stay home. If you do have to travel slow down, plan your route in advance and stick to interstate and primary routes. pic.twitter.com/M1uun3F0zo

— SCDOT (@SCDOTPress) January 10, 2025

While troopers responded to a spate of crashes earlier, few motorists were on the road Friday evening.

NWS also cautions that ice on power lines and tree limbs — some of which were weakened by Hurricane Helene — might lead to outages.

As of 7:45 p.m., online outage aggregator poweroutage.us reported just 32 customers in Spartanburg County were without power.

— Matthew Hensley

Families enjoy rare snow day in Spartanburg parks

4:15 p.m. — Fewer motorists were on the roads by afternoon and some snow had accumulated. County offices and the library were closed.

Spartanburg’s parks weren’t crowded, but a few parents ventured out to take in the dusting with their kids.

Mike Combs took his 4-year-old son Miller to Cleveland Park to see his first snow.

“I’ve been wanting to make a snow angel and do a snowball fight,” Miller said.

A viral Facebook post with several hundred shares had pitched the idea of a Cleveland Park snowball fight the day before. But by 2:30 p.m., there wasn’t enough snow, nor were there enough potential participants.

Combs was holding out for a bit more depth.

“I like a good snow,” the elder Combs said. “Hopefully a bit more comes up and it blankets the ground.”

At a playground near Duncan Park, Steven Varner had taken his two children — a 4-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son — to a playground near the baseball fields.

When it snowed last in 2022, his kids weren’t old enough to remember.

“It’s the first one we’ve had in a minute,” Varner said. “Better get out and enjoy it. Might not be one again for a while.”

He hoped it’d be deeper. He had some sleds at home and planned to break them out. As the snow continued to fall, he made the call: There would indeed be enough.

“It’s beautiful,” he said. “It’s as fluffy as I want it. I hope it stays this consistency.”

— Christian Boschult

Snow forecast shifts down for Spartanburg

2:30 p.m. — Less snow than initially forecasted is expected to fall in Spartanburg County today. The Greenville-Spartanburg National Weather Service now projects 1-2 inches of snow and sleet north of Interstate 85 and ½-1 inch in the county’s southern half.

Most of the county can also expect a tenth to a quarter of an inch of ice, which is still plenty to make roads treacherous.

Spartanburg started to see snow around 11:30 a.m. and it began to stick in the early afternoon.

Sleet is expected to take over for most of the county from 2-4 p.m., said Jake Wimberley with the Greenville-Spartanburg NWS office. Freezing rain is expected to mix in around 7 p.m. and remain dominant until precipitation ends around 2 a.m. tomorrow, earlier than initially projected.

“It's looking like it's going to end a little earlier than before,” Wimberley said.

A winter weather warning is in effect until 7 a.m. tomorrow.

Spartanburg News

Spartanburg city officials expect most services to remain open although it closed community centers for the day. City offices are open and solid waste pickup continued as normal this morning.

Christopher George, the city’s spokesperson, said buses are still running but that might change later in the afternoon if ice starts sticking to the road.

The city and Spartanburg County Emergency Management worked together to open an emergency shelter at 701 Saxon Ave.

“Hopefully (there) won’t be much need for (the emergency shelter),” George said.

— Max White

How Spartanburg city, county prepared for snow

Spartanburg County’s Roads and Bridges crews started brining county-maintained roads on Jan. 8, spokeswoman Scottie Kay Blackwell said. Crews are prioritizing its 150 bridges — which tend to ice faster than roads — then moving focus to main thoroughfares with more traffic, then secondary roads, then neighborhoods.

The county maintains more than 1,700 miles of roadway so being proactive is important, Blackwell added. The county also has about a dozen snowplows on standby.

“The brine is a pre-treatment,” Blackwell said. “We do outfit our trucks with plows and sand spreaders once the brine has been placed.”

SPARTANBURG — Spartanburg is expected to see snow for the first time since 2022.

Starting around noon on Jan. 10, Spartanburg County can expect a couple of inches of snow and sleet, depending on where in the county.

The northwestern part of the county can expect 3-4 inches of snow and sleet, 2-3 inches are forecast around Spartanburg and the county's southern tip could see 1-2 inches of snow and sleet.

Most of the county should see snow by noon around early afternoon. The snow is expected to turn into sleet starting in the late afternoon. Freezing rain is also expected, up to a quarter of an inch in the county’s southern half.

Precipitation is expected to end by 6 a.m. Jan. 11, said Jake Wimberley with the Greenville-Spartanburg National Weather Service office.

Greenville News

The snow that falls today is expected to stick for the day but melt “pretty quickly” tomorrow as the sun rises, according to Trisha Palmer with the Greenville-Spartanburg National Weather Service.

“As it starts transitioning to sleet, it’s going to be the tiny, harder pellets of sleet,” Palmer said. “It’s not going to be pretty, it’s not going to be fun to play in.”

Palmer cautioned residents to stay home if possible and avoid the roads at night for the next few days as they may be icy. Residents may go to ready.gov to learn more on how to prepare.

Power outages are more likely in the southern half where ice and freezing rain are likely, Palmer said, noting that some weak trees still stand after Hurricane Helene battered the region in the fall.

Jason Hollifield, Duke Energy’s storm director in the Carolinas, urged residents on Jan. 8 to prepare a plan in case of an outage.

“Our crews are prepared and will work as quickly and safely as possible to restore power when outages occur,” Hollifield said.

How the county and city are preparing for the snow

Spartanburg County’s Roads and Bridges crews started brining county-maintained roads on Jan. 8, spokeswoman Scottie Kay Blackwell said. Crews are prioritizing its 150 bridges — which tend to ice faster than roads — then moving focus to main thoroughfares with more traffic, then secondary roads, then neighborhoods.

The county maintains more than 1,700 miles of roadway so being proactive is important, Blackwell added. The county also has about a dozen snowplows on standby.

“The brine is a pre-treatment,” Blackwell said. “We do outfit our trucks with plows and sand spreaders once the brine has been placed.”

Here’s how it works: The brine goes down first to keep the snow from freezing onto the road as ice. The snowplows will push away whatever snow has accumulated and lay down sand behind the snowplows.

The county also has debris and chainsaw teams standing by, just in case. Blackwell said the county would like residents to stay home if they can, freeing the roadways for county crews. Kitty litter can be used to melt ice if driving is necessary.

The city already has sand and salt stockpiled as well as snowplows that it can attach to larger trucks. It also brined city roads with a mix of salt and water provided by state transportation officials.

As of 2 p.m. Jan. 9, the city had not decided to cancel any services, according to city spokesperson Christopher George. Some community centers might close if necessary but city offices should remain open, he said.

Spartanburg’s Homeless Engagement And Response Team will work to ensure homeless folks can find shelter. George said the city doesn’t anticipate any large-scale power outages.

Palmer added that residents should always be safe around generators and that they should not be run inside.

“If you absolutely have to be out on the roads make sure you’ve got kitty litter. Make sure you’ve got a blanket and stuff in your car,” she said.