The show had a fine enough soundtrack, but if the producers had known about The Local Honeys, they probably would have used their music exclusively.

The Local Honeys is a Kentucky project to the bone. The band is a duo of violinist Montana Hobbs and guitarist Linda Jean Stokley, and their sound perfectly captures the lushness and melancholy of Appalachian culture.

Their most recent release, a 2022 self-titled effort, is packed with keening harmonies, wailing fiddle, and subtle and effective backing from electric instruments.

The largely acoustic album effortlessly struck a chord with this dyed-in-the-wool Southerner, and if you catch the band’s performance at Greenville’s Radio Room Jan 22, perhaps it will for you, as well.

The Local Honeys have the advantage of both being Southern and having studied Appalachian music in intense detail at Morehead State University; Hobbs and Stokley graduated in the early 2010s with degrees in traditional music.

“We’re deeply moved and inspired by this music, and the history that comes along with it,” says Hobbs, who plays banjo. “Somebody told us a long time ago that traditional music is dead. That’s always been something that we wrestled with because it’s not dead. It’s ever evolving. And we felt a responsibility to add our own pieces to it.”

Interestingly enough, Hobbs herself didn’t start out as a musician. She initially attended Morehead State to study veterinary medicine. But once she saw that she could get credit for a private banjo instruction class, she picked up the instrument and got hooked on old-time music thanks to the music scene surrounding her.

“I advanced pretty quickly because I had this community of people around me who were extremely encouraging and forthcoming with their knowledge,” she says. “I had incredible mentors, and there was no gatekeeping.”

That’s the spirit that Hobbs and Stokley have tried to carry forward as The Local Honeys, and their passion for that traditional Appalachian music will no doubt translate to the Radio Room audience.

“The music has to evolve,” Hobbs says. “It has to keep going. You have to share it.”

Want to go?

Who: The Local Honeys

When: Wednesday, Jan. 22

Where: Radio Room, 28 Liberty Lane, Greenville

Tickets and info: radioroomgreenville.com

The post The Local Honeys bring dark Appalachian tone to Radio Room: Upstate Beat appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

Larry’s smile is brighter than the sun, and he’s a pretty whimsical dude. He enjoys long walks and rolling in the grass – almost as much as he would love snuggling up in a warm blanket on a comfy couch in his forever home.

Those interested in adopting Larry should stop by the Greenville Humane Society at 305 Airport Road in Greenville. For more information, call 864-242-3626 or visit greenvillehumane.com.

The post January’s adoptable pet: Larry appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

Jasmine Kitchen is powered by local nonprofit Jasmine Road, a residency program that empowers women who are survivors of drug addiction, sex trafficking and prostitution. Jasmine Kitchen provides career opportunities for the nonprofit’s residents.

On Jan. 13, the restaurant announced on social media that it now employs 11 residents.

“We now have 11 amazing residents employed at one time, the most ever,” the post said. “This achievement is more than just a number; it’s a testament to the growth we’ve worked so hard for and the resilience of these incredible women.”

In addition to the delicious food, patrons of Jasmine Kitchen know their money goes toward helping local women on a road to healing. Jasmine Kitchen is located at 503 Augusta St. in downtown Greenville.

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Greer’s Riverside Bagels & Deli quietly closed.

The news was announced social media by Gio’s Pastry, Caffe and Italian Market, which used to sell Riverside’s bagels on Saturdays. Gio’s is currently temporarily closed and will not resume Saturday bagel sales in wake of the closure. Riverside is now noted as “permanently closed” on Google.

Gio’s is located at 218 S. Main St. in Fountain Inn.

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A new Nothing Bundt Cakes held its grand opening in Taylors with a ribbon cutting Jan. 16.

The new location is the bakery’s third in the Upstate. The chain was founded in 1997. Although it is not South Carolina-based or founded, Clemson University football coach Dabo Swinney once helped the then-fledgling business in its first expansion during his days as a real estate agent.

Nothing Bundt Cakes is located at 5314 Wade Hampton Blvd. in Taylors.

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Planned and postponed events to look forward to:

• Downtown Greenville favorite Sum Bar will host its second anniversary party, jointly celebrating Lunar New Year on Feb. 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is free and will include lion dancers, food, lantern crafts and drinks from local vendors. Sum Bar is located at 307 E. Washington St.
• The People’s Tap will host its two-year anniversary party Feb. 3. It was postponed due to the winter weather on Jan. 10.
• Everyone loves when great minds join forces. Potluck GVL and SOL GVL will collaborate on a five-course dinner Feb. 3 at Sum Bar. Drink pairings are available. Tickets can be purchased on Resy.

The post Jasmine Kitchen hits admirable milestone: Weekly Dish appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

Hosted in collaboration with the University of South Carolina’s Anne Frank Center, the South Carolina Council on the Holocaust will host the memorial at the Pastides Alumni Center in Columbia at 10:30 a.m.

The event will feature guest speakers including NBC’s Chuck Todd and Gov. Henry McMaster, a candle-lighting ceremony with Holocaust survivors’ children and spiritual reflections by Rev. Eric Manning of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, Rabbi Erik Uriate of Tree of Life Reform Congregation in Columbia and Rabbi Sam Rose of Temple of Israel Congregation in Greenville.

The memorial will also include the Fort Jackson Color Guard and 282nd Army Band with the national anthem and colors presentation, and music performances by Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim and the University of South Carolina School of Music.

The event will be live-streamed by SCETV at scetv.org/80thliberation.

The post Greenville Jewish Federation to commemorate Auschwitz liberation Jan. 27 appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

The action was prompted by Councilman Rick Bradley – a procedural move that was the only matter under consideration at the meeting. Bradley was elected council vice chairman the previous week.

Third — and typically final — reading of the UDO had been approved during the Dec. 3, 2024, council meeting.

With approval of the move to reconsider, the UDO was effectively returned to second reading status and referred to the Committee of the Whole.

In a statement at the close of the called meeting, Chairman Benton Blount said the move was aimed at addressing some of the shortcomings in the UDO.

Read more about Unified Development Ordinance

The post Greenville County Council rescinds development ordinance approval appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

The four-lane roadway will be reduced to three lanes from Augusta Street to Henrydale Avenue near the Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital. The city’s neighborhood infrastructure bond will fund the project which aims to slow traffic and enhance pedestrian safety. 

Read more about the Grove Road project

Roadway repairs began Jan. 14. According to the city, lane closures will occur over the next three to four months as the work is completed. In the spring, the entire roadway will be repaved and high-visibility crosswalks and other safety enhancements will be installed.

The post Greenville begins work on Grove Road lane reduction appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

Final approval: West End parking garage development agreement

Council gave final approval for the city to enter into a development agreement with RocaPoint Partners to build a new public parking garage in the West End. The city will allocate $13.38 million to cover the project’s cost.

RocaPoint Partners, the $1 billion County Square project developer, will design and build the 400-space parking garage on Howe Street and a pedestrian walkway connecting to Augusta Street. The project is expected to be completed in March 2026.

Initial approval: Housing impact analysis for accommodations tax funds

The city of Greenville seeks to use a portion of its accommodations tax revenue to develop affordable workforce housing, permitted under South Carolina Act 57. The act specifically allows up to 15% of both local and state accommodations tax revenue to be used for creating workforce housing.

Under Act 57, the city is required to create a housing impact analysis to use its state accommodations tax funds for workforce housing. The analysis provides an overview of the city’s housing market and conditions, construction and development costs, economics and employment analysis, and a review of barriers impacting housing.

According to the housing impact analysis, the city has the opportunity to use approximately $2 million from local accommodations taxes and $300,000 from state taxes toward affordable housing projects.

The analysis was approved by the city’s Planning Commission Jan. 7. Council gave initial approval to incorporate the analysis into the GVL2040 Comprehensive Plan following a public hearing Monday night.

Approved: Settlement agreement with short-term rental companies

The city of Greenville is one of the plaintiffs in a pending lawsuit out of Charleston County against several short-term rental companies, including Airbnb, Tripadvisor and Vrbo. The lawsuit was filed in 2021 by several municipalities in South Carolina to recover unpaid local accommodations and business license taxes for short-term rentals.

Council approved a resolution consenting to a settlement agreement with the defendants in the lawsuit. The agreement must be approved by all plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Approved: Abandoned textile mill certification for Conestee Mill property

Council unanimously approved an abandoned textile mill certification for the old Conestee Mill site under the South Carolina Textile Communities Revitalization Act.

Kantasta LLC and Lake Conestee Dam Restoration Project LLC are redeveloping the property which is located near Conestee Road and Spanco Drive. The act grants state income tax credits of 25% of the qualified rehabilitation expenses for the site.

Review: Abandoned building certification for 700 Arlington Ave.

Council reviewed an abandoned building certification application for the historic structure at 700 Arlington Ave. during its Jan. 13 work session. The local landmark was most recently used as the Greenville Cultural Exchange Center.

Jordon Construction Co. is renovating the building. Once work is complete, the restored building will include office space for minority-owned businesses, gathering space and space to display historic African American artifacts from the Greenville Cultural Exchange Center.

James Jordon, president of Jordon Construction Co., said approximately $612,000 is being invested to restore the historic building. With the abandoned building certification, the developer can receive state income tax credits of 25% of the property’s actual rehabilitation expense.

Council is expected to formally vote on the item Jan. 27.

Additional items

• Council gave final approval for City Manager Shannon Lavrin to terminate the reverter clause in the deed to the American Legion Post 3’s property at 430 N. Main St. This action would allow an interested developer, currently known as 426 N. Main LLC, to purchase the property for a future project.
• Initial approval was given by council to appropriate approximately $2 million in the capital projects fund for the additional proceeds of the second round of the neighborhood infrastructure bond. The additional proceeds will go toward capital projects.

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