Angels Charge marks 10 years assisting women in finding new lives after incarceration
In 2014, Pastor Nannie Jefferies saw a need in Spartanburg that no other organization was filling. After visiting with and ministering to incarcerated relatives of her parishioners, Pastor Jefferies was struck by the lack of assistance and hope those women had once they were released. Many of the women were often left with no alternative but to return to the same environments that had led them down the path to incarceration in the first place, putting them at much higher risk of recidivism. Recognizing the need to offer a better solution, Pastor Jefferies founded , which has been working to provide that solution for recently incarcerated women in Spartanburg ever since. Today on the podcast, we're talking with Pastor Jefferies about the work Angels Charge does and the impact that work has on the women served and the larger community they call home.
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30:22
A conversation on the City's response to Hurricane Helene
It was a storm unlike any in living memory in Spartanburg, and while the damage our region experienced from Hurricane Helene far exceeded everyone's estimates, the City and the community came together to put us on the road to recovery. Today on the podcast, we're talking with City Manager Chris Story, Fire Chief Pierre Brewton, and Public Works Director Jay Squires about the City's response to Hurricane Helene and the road ahead for Spartanburg.
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53:29
Duncan Park Lake open to boating and fishing for first time in decades
It was identified during the Duncan Park Revisioning Plan as a priority by a steering committee of nearby residents and stakeholders, and now for the first time in decades, Duncan Park Lake is open to non-motorized boating and catch and release fishing. The new change comes on the heels of other improvements recently made to the park, including removal of invasive species and trails improvements, also identified in the revisioning plan that was spearheaded by in partnership with the City. Today on the podcast, we're talking with City Parks, Recreation, & Special Events Director Kim Brown and PAL Executive Director Laura Ringo about the process to open up the lake and what may be next for Duncan Park.
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24:43
Fire Chief Pierre Brewton reflects on his journey back to Spartanburg to lead department
It's been almost four months since City Fire Chief Pierre Brewton returned home to Spartanburg to lead the department where he first honed his skills as a firefighter. Returning after serving for four years as Fire Chief for the City of Albemarle, NC, Chief Brewton began his career with the City of Spartanburg in 1988, assigned to garbage collection in the Public Works Department. In 1994, he successfully transitioned to the Spartanburg Fire Department, rising through the ranks to eventually serve as Assistant Fire Chief, the highest-ranking minority member in Spartanburg Fire Department history. Chief Brewton was born and raised in the Highland community in Spartanburg and is a proud graduate of Spartanburg High School, Limestone University, and Spartanburg Community College. He is credentialed through the Center for Public Safety Excellence as a Chief Fire Officer and Chief Training Officer and is a graduate of Texas A&M’s Fire Service Chief Executive Fire Officer Program and the International Association of Fire Chiefs Fire Service Executive Development Institute. Today on the podcast, we're talking with Chief Brewton about his experiences growing up and living in Spartanburg, his plans for the fire department he leads, and his reflections on the future of community he is dedicated to serving.
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39:46
Hello Family shares transformative results, expands countywide
In a little more than two years, Hello Family—a unique collection of support systems for young children and their families—has gone from an idea to scale up and build capacity for early childhood services utilizing an innovative funding model to for the organization's work to improve birth outcomes, increase school readiness, and enhance childhood health and well-being in Spartanburg. In fact, Hello Family's success has been so significant during those first two years, that now the organization is in the process of expanding countywide, having joined Spartanburg Academic Movement in late 2023 to build their organizational capacity. Today on the podcast, we're discussing the remarkable success Hello Family has seen so far and what that means for Spartanburg with Hello Family Director, Kaitlin Watts and Bryan Boroughs with the Institute of Child Success.
New Zealand