Opinion
Opinion
Flying Oskar: Making Spartanburg’s Democrats Relevant
There are basically two types of political opinion writing as far as I can tell. There’s issue writing, where the writer tackles some sort of relevant issue, puts it in some kind of context for the reader, and argues for one side of the issue over the other. Then there’s what I... »
Blog Report: Rethinking SparkleCityBlogs.com
For well over a year, Saturday has been the day that we here at the Spark examine local blogs. We read them. We mine them for content. We think of snarky little jokes to make — all in good fun, of course — in an effort to make people more aware of the latest... »
Listening Party: Spartanburg Spark Theme Song Contest!
It’s high time we had an official Spartanburg Spark theme song, don’t you think? Sure, we have a very nice song by Bryan Teague, singing our praises, but I was thinking something more along the lines of a song we could use as an intro to our videos and podcasts. Something memorable and iconic.... »
Hub City Brew Review: RJ Rockers Spartanburg Stout
This week on the brew review we’ve got RJ Rockers Spartanburg Stout. Not a bad offering, but it’s a little on the weak side for a stout. All the flavors are there, nice toasted malts, dark chocolate and coffee notes, but overall, this beer doesn’t live up to that “meal in a... »
Big Idea: Bring Back Brawley Street
Several months ago, I heard a rumor that the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine was looking at the old Spartan Mills site as a possible location for their proposed Spartanburg Campus. At the time, I didn’t realize exactly what that meant, at least beyond a simple understanding that a new college campus was likely... »
Wanted: Local Bike Routes For Google Maps
Earlier today, Google Maps launched a new feature which allows users to get road directions and route suggestions specifically intended for bicycles. These routes take a variety of bike-related factors into account, such as the slope of the road, the traffic volume on the roads in question and the existence of bike lanes. For... »
Miss Mom: No help for the helpless?
I was asked recently when I was going to write about politics here on The Spark. The answer was when I found the right topic. The other day I read a news article that quite frankly upset me even more highly then the budget woes that our state’s education system is undergoing. Currently under proposal... »
Podcast Uprising! HubCast Pops Onto The Spartanburg Scene
Local blogger and occasional Spark contributor David Smith recently decided to start a new online media project, tentatively titled HubCast. Smith has been talking about the idea of putting together a local podcast for at least several months, and it’s fantastic to see him finally start the ball rolling on it without having to... »
Sparkle City Headlines: City Council Weighs Bookstore-Cafe Grant
Back in January, HubCulture (the parent organization of the Hub City Writers Project and the HUB-BUB) announced it would be opening a new downtown bookstore in the ground floor of the Masonic Temple on Morgan Square. Since that initial announcement, progress on the site has clipped along, and the current plan now includes an... »
Flying Oskar: Problems of Ignorance and Apathy
What’s the greatest challenge facing Spartanburg? Ask 100 people that question, and you’re likely to get 100 answers. Some would talk about development issues. Some would talk about education issues. Some would talk about spending priorities and taxes. Every issue under the sun in our little corner of South... »
Video-O-Rama: Fuji Reviewed, Student News, South29 Exposed, Dance Party and Some Irish Tune
I’m not sure if it’s our repeated appeals for more local video blogs, a result of my not having scanned the local video scene in a few months (thanks Chris!) or just the video zeitgeist of our day, but there appears to be a much more robust collection of local vlogs and videos online... »
Blog Report: The Secrets of Mommyblogging and the Return of Spartanburg Parody Paper Press News!
Do you want to know the secret to having a popular mommyblog? Whatever happens in the world around you, find a way to get a photo of your kids in it. OK, that only works with stuff like a rare South Carolina snowfall, and not so good with something like the national health care... »
Listening Party: The Free Music Challenge
As many of you may know, we’re slowly trying to incorporate more and more video into what we do here at the Spark. When it comes to local music, however, we’re in a weird position. You see, as long as we’re reviewing local music, and stick to short clips rather than entire songs, we’re... »
Sparkle City Headlines: Former Bi-Lo To Become New Piedmont Community Actions Project
If there’s one thing Spartanburg has more than enough of, it’s large, empty storefronts. Few things make a city look as desperate and run-down as a wealth of hollowed-out shells where businesses once lived. So, it’s hard to see the recent announcement that local non-profit Piedmont Community Actions Inc. has acquired the former Bi-Lo... »
Hub City Brew Review: RJ Rockers Buckwheat After Dark
For this week’s beer review, we’ve got RJ Rockers Buckwheat After Dark. It’s an American dark wheat ale, which is basically an Americanized version of the German dunkel weisse. It’s darker, with a more complex malty flavor than RJ’s regular Buckwheat Ale, and is a very good example of the style. ... »
Calendar
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- Mar 16: Wine 101 Symposium Class
- Mar 17: IMPROVOKE
- Mar 18: High School Open Mic
- Mar 20: Ballet Spartanburg Presents Hansel & Gretel
- Mar 20: West Main co op Grand Opening
- Mar 21: Ballet Spartanburg Presents Hansel & Gretel
- Mar 25: A Beka Book - Your HomeSchool Resource Sale
- Mar 25: Hub City Co-Op Owners Meeting
- Mar 28: Drag Show! Presented by Upstate Pride
- Mar 27: Spring for Your Community