The Newberry Observer

NEWBERRY — Chapin Newberry Post 193/24 earned themselves a play-in spot for the American Legion playoffs with a crucial split in their doubleheader on the last day of the regular season. Chapin Newberry(7-10, 5-7 league play) defeated Anderson Post 14(8-11, 6-6 league play) by the score of 3-2 in game two of their doubleheader on Thursday, July 9 at home.

NEWBERRY COUNTY – A deputy with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office has been fired after he was arrested off-duty over the holiday weekend in Newberry. According to records from the Newberry County Detention Center, 37-year-old Justin Eric Gray was arrested on Saturday on a charge of public disorderly conduct and booked into jail. Cherokee County Sheriff Steve Mueller confirmed Gray had been employed as a school resource officer with the sheriff’s office since July 2025.

NEWBERRY — Newberry County Council has proclaimed July 26, 2026, as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 36th Anniversary Day in Newberry County, recognizing the civil rights law that has expanded opportunities and protected the rights of individuals with disabilities for more than three decades.

NEWBERRY — Newberry College President Dr. David Harpool has appointed Carlton L. Kinard ‘16 as the college’s director of governmental and external affairs, a newly expanded leadership role designed to strengthen partnerships between the college and the broader community while advancing civic and governmental engagement opportunities for students, faculty, and staff.

SOUTH CAROLINA — The South Carolina Drought Response Committee (DRC) met on July 8, 2026, to evaluate drought conditions statewide. The DRC is the state’s major drought decision making entity and determines drought severity as defined by the S.C. Drought Response Act to protect the state’s natural resources. The act establishes four levels of drought: incipient, moderate, severe, and extreme.

NORTH CAROLINA — Soil degradation is an environmental concern that occurs when land becomes less fit for a specific purpose, like crop production. As the soil loses nutrients, namely phosphorous, nitrogen and potassium, crop yields can decline significantly, compounding the problem of food shortages resulting from a growing global population. The lack of a strong foundation to grow food and other plants is just one of the problems associated with soil degradation.

Veterans with severe PTSD and depression are increasingly traveling overseas for treatments they cannot legally access in the United States. After exhausting medications and conventional treatments, many are traveling to clinics in countries like Mexico to pursue psychedelic-assisted treatments. Others are seeking underground providers outside any regulated medical system.

NEWBERRY — Through grant funds from Keep America Beautiful to celebrate the Nations 250th birthday, Keep Newberry County Beautiful, a division of the Newberry Soil and Water Conservation District implemented “Liberty Gardens” at four local elementary schools. Whitmire Community School, Ruebens Elementary, Prosperity Rikard Elementary and Gallman Elementary received Raised Bed planters.

COLUMBIA — From handmade quilts and photography to homegrown produce, baking and fine arts, the South Carolina State Fair invites exhibitors of all ages and experience levels to share their talents, traditions and creativity through its 2026 competitive exhibits program. Registration is now open and runs through Sept. 1. The 2026 South Carolina State Fair will be held Oct. 15-25.

SOUTH CAROLINA — The S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) is now accepting applications for deer lottery hunts (adult and youth) on public lands through August 15 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. The Multi-site, Unrestricted Multi-site, Webb Gun, Webb Antlerless Only*, Webb Archery, and South Fenwick Archery lotteries operate independently and maintain separate preference points. Youth deer lotteries do not utilize preference points.