Hello everyone. Local news on the way after the birthday wishes from Gottrocks the Birthday Fairy. He has s been really prompt with communications lately. Must be the early spring coming in with longer sunshine filled days. Now that the teasing blizzard like snow a couple of Saturdays ago has seemingly passed us by, I admit I am ready for spring.

Stuff like screen porch sittin’, walking trails, golf courses, plants, flowers and Atlanta Braves baseball. Um, hm, pardon my digression and now we can send happy birthday wishes to Darryl Reed, Roger Marrs, Larry Kitchens, Betty Fish, Barbara Rice, Judy G. Murphy, Teresa Bostic Davis, Tripp Alexander, Wendy Green, Willie Miller, Derek Wilbanks, Vera Barnes, Sandra Peay, Chelsea Caudill, Eugene Smith, Sandra Spencer, Jacob Bradburn, “Big 21,” Tonia Anderson, Bryan Taylor, Tommy Andrews, Kerry Sligh, Frank Phillips,and our Union County friends, Lisa Rinaca.

Special wishes to longtime residents Mrs. Margie Leamon and Mrs. Dove Plemmons “Catch the Katy for a Cool Lady, Miss Dove is 80.” Mrs. Dove, I hope the Braves bring you a winning season for your birthday.

We send our happy anniversary wishes to Heather and Kenny Bodie and Shawn and Jason Taylor.

On a sad note, we send our sympathy and best wishes to the families of Mrs. Hattie Henderson and Mrs. Edith Nance.

In upcoming local events, the Whitmire Jaycees have set a date for the upcoming second annual Golf in the Pines fundraiser tournament. The Whitmire Golf Course Association will provide carts and scorecards. The date is set for Saturday morning on April 20 and the rain date is April 27.

By the way, congratulations to H. D. Carter on his acceptance of the Whitmire Golf Club’s officers duties. Former club president Billy Hollingsworth stepped down to accept the position of mayor. Tourney details will be posted in upcoming editions and on social media pages.

The Jaycees annual Easter egg hunt is March 23 at the Community Heritage Park, near the playground and picnic shelter. The change of location is due to the construction on the library.

The Glen Bledsoe Memorial Tournament is set for April 15 at The Country Club of Newberry and will be posted in future editions. Tourney coordinator is Daniel Boozer and the Friends of Whitten Center. Dan has a Facebook page.

Spring is a busy season for creative hands, not just gardening hands, but drawing and painting hands. A flurry of weekday activities are happening at Creative Hands Art and Music Studio, located in the CWilbanks Photography Studio on Main Street.

Charlie Wilbanks, along with Mid-Carolina High award winning art student-teacher Maggie Riddle are sharing ideas and instructing youth. Ages 5 through 11 meet on Wednesday afternoons at 4 p.m. and ages 12 and up meet at 5 p.m. There’s a good rapport between Charlie and Maggie as Charlie was a student of Maggie’s mother at one time at Newberry High. More information can be found on Charlie’s Facebook page or CWilbanks’ Photography’s page. Phone number is 864-542-5429.

Congratulations to two WCS students Austin Amick and Kenny Page who made the championship teams in their weight class. Props go to Coach Jarrod King and his positive influence and dedication to the youth in our community.

Speaking of young folks, before you know it, prom time and graduation will be here, then the rite of passage beach trip too.

Old heads, 45 and up, do you all remember the dances at the city gym back in the seventies? We used to have live music, local and regional bands were booked to boogie till midnight. Oh what times we had, made us feel like we were part of the older high school students slow dancing. How would you feel if those good old days were brought back to the city gym?

Let us hear from you at the e-mail address listed below my sign off. Well, the Deadline Fairy Garabund is here, and I am packing up before he snaps the laptop lid on my hands. Feel free to send your news bits and photos, remarks to: news2cassie@yahoo.com.