Atlanta, GA
Between Atlanta And Charlotte Is South Carolina’s Small City With Friendly Vibes And A Walkable Downtown – Islands
In South Carolina, small towns reign supreme. While each region in the state has its own major city, the real hidden gems are the historic small towns with proud, locally-owned businesses serving their communities. The Upstate has plenty of small towns to choose from, like the hiker’s paradise that is Travelers Rest or the artsy suburb of Simpsonville. However, Belton is a friendly community with a walkable downtown shopping area that’s also worth checking out. Festivals draw crowds year-round, but on any regular day or weekend, Belton is a great place to visit for small-town vibes without straying too far from the urban attractions in nearby Greenville.
Belton became a town in 1855 with the construction of the railroad depot. That vital connection allowed the town to grow. Belton’s economy boomed through the early 1900s. Mills were built. Shops and businesses went up. Tennis came to town and never left. By 1970, Belton was the “Tennis Capital of South Carolina.” Today, the historic railroad depot that made the town official houses the city’s history museum, gift shop, and the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame. The historic Standpipe water tower still stands proudly above the city, and those same shop buildings line the main square, home to thriving modern businesses.
What to see in Belton
Start in Belton’s walker-friendly city square area, lined with boutiques and antique shops. A five-minute walk will take you past over 20 shopfronts. Across the street is the historic train depot, now home to the Belton Area Museum Association, which houses the Belton Museum, the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame, an art gallery, and a gift shop. The museums are free to visit, but check operating hours in the low season. Don’t forget a quick photo stop at the historic Belton Standpipe, the city’s water tower, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
There are a handful of restaurants mixed in with the city square shops, and fast food options line Main Street, but it’s worth a 15-minute drive to the outskirts to eat at Grit & Groceries. The menu features dishes that change with the seasons, only using ingredients grown within a 100-mile radius of the restaurant for a truly local dining experience. This spot boasts a 4.7-star rating on Google Reviews with many praising the high quality of food and service.
Family-owned and operated Callaham Orchards, five minutes from Belton’s downtown in the opposite direction, is worth a stop in every season but winter. Spring starts in March with tulip picking and gradually gives way to summer berry and fruit picking. Fall features apple cider donuts, slushies, and a corn maze. Hours are seasonal, so check their website for updates before your trip.
Exploring Belton and the nearby area
Belton is best visited by car while exploring South Carolina’s Upstate over several days. There are no Amtrak stations or public transportation options that service the area. It’s only a 40-minute drive from Greenville, South Carolina and the nearest airport, but flight deals are more likely to happen at hub airports, like Atlanta and Charlotte, both of which are about 2.5 hours away without traffic.
A day trip to Belton pairs well with other nearby adventures. That’s the advantage of exploring small towns. Belton is only an hour’s drive from five South Carolina state parks and within two hours of several more, making it a great pitstop option before or after visiting a park or historic site.
Don’t miss the South Carolina State Chili Cook-off Championship, held each April in Belton, where you can taste all the competitors’ best chili for a small fee. Proceeds stay in Belton and support local non-profits. Chili is just one part of this community-wide festival, which also includes local craft vendors, an antique car show, tennis showcase matches, art gallery viewings, and live music from local musicians. This is a chance for visitors to come be a part of Belton and its friendly vibes for the day or the full weekend.
Atlanta, GA
Midtown Atlanta sewer work to close part of 10th Street
ATLANTA – Drivers in Midtown Atlanta should prepare for traffic changes this week as a new roadwork project begins along 10th Street.
What we know:
The Atlanta Department of Watershed Management said part of 10th Street will close starting Wednesday for sewer repairs.
The construction will impact the eastbound lane between Charles Allen Drive and Monroe Drive.
Officials said the repair project is expected to continue for about four weeks.
Crews will work overnight on weekdays from 5 p.m. until 5 a.m. Construction activity will continue around the clock on weekends until the project is complete.
What you can do:
Motorists traveling through Midtown are encouraged to plan ahead and expect delays in the area during the closure.
Atlanta, GA
Three Biggest Questions Facing the Atlanta Hawks Following the NBA Draft Lottery Results
The 2026 NBA Draft has come and gone, and while the results did not go the way that the Atlanta Hawks had hoped, landing at No. 8 overall, but they are still getting a top-eight pick in a deep draft when they are coming off a season in which they won 46 games and made the playoffs. Atlanta had hoped that having the most favorable selection from the Pelicans and Bucks would turn into a top-four pick, but they are going to get a chance to add to their young core with a high-level talent.
Now that the NBA Draft Lottery is over, what are some questions facing the Hawks?
1. Who could they take with the pick?
We will get into other scenarios later, but for this exercise, let’s just assume that the Hawks are going to stick at No. 8 and make a selection.
While the top four picks are likely going to be (in some order) AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson, the rest of the draft does not seem to be as certain.
There is a popular sentiment that the quarter of guards consisting of Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff, Kingston Flemings, and Mikel Brown Jr are going to be picks 5-8, but that is not as much of a certainity as the top four.
The Clippers are picking 5th, but they just made a big trade for Darius Garland. Brooklyn just took four guards in last year’s draft, and the Kings are always a wild card, though of these teams, they have the biggest need at guard and don’t seem likely to veer from that.
In the NBA, needs is usually ignored in the draft and the best player available is taken most of the time, but it will be interesting to see which players the Clippers, Nets, and Kings decide on.
If those teams do take three of those guards, the Hawks would have their choice of whoever is left over from that group or players such as Michigan center Aday Mara, Arizona guard Brayden Burries, or Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg.
2. Could the Hawks move up or down in the draft?
While I think as of right now that the most likely scenario is that the Hawks stay put at No. 8, they do have some interesting options to potentially move up or down depending on how things fall.
As I mentioned earlier, the Clippers just traded for Darius Garland and if the Hawks wanted to get ahead of the Kings and Nets to land the guard of their choice, they could try and put together an attractive package to try and make a trade with Los Angeles.
The Nets seem less likely to move down, but after taking four guards in last year’s draft, could they move down and try to target another position?
What about a trade down? If the Hawks had been at No. 7 or in the top four, I would say a trade down is unlikely, but at No. 8, there could be an opportunity there for Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh. Would Oklahoma City be interested in moving No. 12 and No. 17 for No. 8? That would give the Hawks three first round picks and if they like a player that could be in that range, that would be a possibility, though all of this is just hypothetical at the moment.
3. Do the Hawks attempt to move the No. 8 pick for an established star?
Saleh has been adamnat that the team is not one player away and that the Hawks wanted to add through the draft, but even in a draft as deep as this one, the odds of getting a star player at No. 8 are long.
It is tough to really gauge the trade market for this offseason right now, but the No. 8 pick is an attractive asset. Could the Hawks try to trade for Celtics star Jaylen Brown? Again, it is tough to know who else could be available this summer and I would bet against the Hawks moving this pick for a veteran player, but never say never in the NBA.
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Atlanta, GA
Braves News: Remembering Bobby Cox, strides from Spencer Strider, more
On a sad day overall for Braves Country, due to the passing of the legendary Bobby Cox, Spencer Strider gave Atlanta fans something to be happy and hopeful about with a stellar outing, shutting down the Dodgers potent offense for 6.0 innings with 8 strikeouts and 15 whiffs. He looked as good as he has in a long time. His fastball averaged 96.4 MPH, with 17 inches of induced vertical break and he had four pitches working nicely together. Even if Strider doesn’t quite return to his Jacob deGrom levels of dominance, having him as a true #1 or #2 quality starter would make a huge difference for this Braves team to pair with Chris Sale. Bryce Elder has been great this season, but shouldn’t be the second best starter in the rotation of a World Series contender. If Strider can keep something like Saturday night’s version of himself moving forward, that’s a huge development for him and this team.
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