Latest issueTaylors news notes, plus what's happening around South Carolina this weekendRead now

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Sunrise 6:54 a.m. Sunset 5:31 p.m.

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  1. 6 a.m.Cloudy.67°
  2. NoonShowers.72°
  3. 6 p.m.Partly cloudy.70°
  4. MidnightCloudy.64°
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Sunrise 6:54 a.m. Sunset 5:31 p.m.

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Thursday, November 5, 2026

Greenville County said no to the penny tax; four cities said yes

Plus, three Upstate volleyball teams play for state titles this week.

The 5AM Taylors team2 stories14 sources5 min read

ElectionTop story

Greenville County voters rejected the penny sales tax, but four cities approved theirs

County voters said no while Greenville and Simpsonville said yes

Results as reported Nov. 4; certification set for Nov. 6

Greenville County Question 1

Yes101,94748.5%
✓No108,28051.5%

Needs a majority: the line at 50%

Greenville County Question 2

Yes103,93849.9%
✓No104,39450.1%

Needs a majority: the line at 50%

City of Greenville

✓Yes19,07066.6%
No9,54933.4%

Needs a majority: the line at 50%

City of Simpsonville

✓Yes5,18950.7%
No5,04249.3%

Needs a majority: the line at 50%

Source: Greenville Journal

View as table
RaceCandidateVotesShare
Greenville County Question 1Yes101,94748.5%
Greenville County Question 1No, won108,28051.5%
Greenville County Question 2Yes103,93849.9%
Greenville County Question 2No, won104,39450.1%
City of GreenvilleYes, won19,07066.6%
City of GreenvilleNo9,54933.4%
City of SimpsonvilleYes, won5,18950.7%
City of SimpsonvilleNo5,04249.3%

If you're wondering where the penny tax landed: Greenville County voters rejected the transportation tax, with 51.51% opposed. It was expected to raise $1.1 billion over eight years for roads, land preservation and public transportation.

Four cities said yes to their own. Greenville, Mauldin, Simpsonville and Travelers Rest approved 1% taxes, a first for South Carolina cities. Simpsonville's passed 5,189 to 5,042. Greenville's is expected to raise the most: $511.6 million over eight years.

Greenville's penny tax is expected to raise the most over eight years

Source: Greenville Journal

View as table
Value
Greenville$511.6 million
Simpsonville$55.5 million
Mauldin$24.5 million
Travelers Rest$19.8 million
  • Starts: May 1, 2027, and lasts eight years
  • Exempt: most groceries, gasoline and prescription medicines
  • Property tax credit: 20% of revenue, owner-occupied homes
  • Applies to eligible purchases inside the four cities

Next, the county Elections Board certifies results Fri., Nov. 6 at 11 a.m. Greenville City Council takes up a resolution declaring them Mon., Nov. 9, and Mauldin City Council will consider one Mon., Nov. 16.

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High School Sports

Three Upstate volleyball teams play for state titles in Columbia this week

If you're headed to Columbia, three Upstate teams are in the girls' volleyball finals at . Woodmont took down Mauldin in three straight sets to reach its second straight championship game, against Wando. Powdersville and Liberty are in too.

Six volleyball finals are set, with three Upstate teams playing

ClassMatchupWhen
3APowdersville vs. Oceanside CollegiateThu., Nov. 5, 7 p.m.
A Division IIBranchville vs. The Governor's SchoolSat., Nov. 7, 10 a.m.
4ANation Ford vs. Lucy BeckhamSat., Nov. 7, noon
A Division INorth Central vs. BufordSat., Nov. 7, 2:30 p.m.
2ALiberty vs. Philip SimmonsSat., Nov. 7, 4:30 p.m.
5AWoodmont vs. WandoSat., Nov. 7, 7 p.m.
  • Where: Dreher High School, 3319 Millwood Avenue, Columbia
  • Thursday: one match, Powdersville's, at 7 p.m.
  • Saturday: five matches, starting at 10 a.m.

Woodmont's Class 5A final is set for Saturday night at 7 p.m. Can't make the drive? The matches stream on the NFHS Network.

Tickets and streaming for the state finals

$10
for Thursday tickets
$15
for Saturday, all five matches
$13.99
to stream on the NFHS Network

Source: The State

News Notes · More

Wade Hampton

Greenville plans to put about $20 million of its new penny tax toward redesigning . The tax will also help fund the estimated $11 million Queen Street bridge replacement. FOX Carolina News

Smoke on the Water

If you've missed the tavern, Smoke on the Water reopens Fri., Nov. 6 at 64 E. Beacon Drive, near Pelham Road and Interstate 85. It left its West End spot at 1 Augusta St. in March 2024, and its social post announced the new location. upstate business journalWYFF

Furman

Furman opened at home with a 121-52 win over Bob Jones Wednesday night at Timmons Arena. Tom House scored 17 points, and all 13 Paladins who saw action scored. Furman hosts Northern Iowa on Saturday. WYFFWSPA 7News

Furman routed Bob Jones 121-⁠52 in its home opener

  • Bob Jones52
    Furman121 (won)
    FinalTom House led Furman with 17 points at Timmons Arena.

Sources: WYFF, WSPA 7News

Ice on Main

The United Community Ice on Main rink opens Nov. 18 and runs seven days a week through Jan. 18, 2027, excluding Christmas Day. Greenville Online

School lunches

Greenville County Schools is one of five districts getting $10,000 from the state's program for buying South Carolina food. Here Greer

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A new puzzle in each one every morning, played right here.

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— Sylvia Plath

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Taylors, SC

Thursday, Nov. 5

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Around the Block

Around the Block

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Neighbors

My dear neighbors and friends, I beg for your prayers again.

“Last night at 9:40 p.m., Brandy’s cousin, Hope, and I held her hands as she left her painful, sick body. Rest in peace, my strong and beautiful baby girl. I will miss you more than I can say. Brandy is in God’s loving arms now, pain free, cancer free. I love you more than life, Baby Girl. I’ll miss you until the day…”

— A neighbor, Reid School Rd

466 likes · 255 comments

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The Wrap

Battle horns are on the schedule in Pickens this Saturday, Nov. 7. Midgard at the Mill: A Viking Invasion takes over Hagood Mill Historic Site from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. It's a day-long Viking takeover at a historic mill, which is not a sentence we write often. Skål.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? SC turnout tops 2018's high; 572 unmarked graves found

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Every source in this edition14 links · 11 outlets
  1. The Weather Channelweather.com
  2. Greenville Journalgreenvillejournal.com
  3. WSPA 7Newswspa.com
  4. The Greenville Newsgreenvilleonline.com
  5. Greenville Onlinegreenvilleonline.com
  6. The Statethestate.com
  7. FOX Carolina Newsfoxcarolina.com
  8. upstate business journalupstatebusinessjournal.com
  9. WYFFwyff4.com
  10. WYFFwyff4.com
  11. WSPA 7Newswspa.com
  12. Greenville Onlinegreenvilleonline.com
  13. Here Greerheregreer.com
  14. Taylors events calendar5amtaylorssc.com

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5AM Taylorsto me · Thurs., Nov. 56:00 a.m.

Greenville County said no to the penny tax; four cities said yes

Plus, three Upstate volleyball teams play for state titles this week.

The TLDR

  1. Greenville County rejects the penny tax; four cities approve theirs
  2. Woodmont, Powdersville and Liberty play for volleyball state titles
  3. Smoke on the Water reopens Fri., Nov. 6 near Pelham Road
Read this edition

More stories this week

From 5AM Taylors’ other editions

All the news
EducationLegacy Early College breaks ground on a $60 million campus on West Marion RoadIf you live near Berea, a new school campus is coming to West Marion Road. Legacy Early College broke ground Nov. 5 on its 55-acre campus, and FOX Carolina says it will hold up to 1,300 students in K4 through eighth grade.ElectionSouth Carolina's midterm turnout passed its 2018 high with hours of voting leftSouth Carolina's midterm turnout topped the 2018 gubernatorial high with more than two hours of voting left Tuesday. As of 4:30 p.m., the State Election Commission counted 1,797,335 ballots, or 52.3% of registered voters. That beats 2018's 1,726,527, and the all-time turnout record is 54.6%, set in 2002.GreenvilleRadar survey finds 572 unmarked graves at Springwood Cemetery in downtown GreenvilleOfficials and historians knew unmarked graves were in Section V of downtown Greenville's Springwood Cemetery, but not how many. A ground-penetrating radar survey of Section V found 572 unmarked graves in rows and columns in the northeastern corner, overlooking Academy and Church streets. The section was a potter's field, a public burial ground, for African Americans and impoverished people.

Around Taylors

From WYFF, Here Greer and 4 more newsrooms, gathered by 6AM News, 6AM City’s local news service.

More local news
  1. WYFF6 hours ago

    Staying cool this weekend in South Carolina: November 7 forecast, on WYFF

    Seasonable temperatures this weekend and staying dry, warming up midweek.

  2. Here Greer7 hours ago

    Greer Soup Kitchen Seeks Donations Ahead of Thanksgiving Meal, on Here Greer

    GREER, S.C. — The Greer Soup Kitchen is asking the community for help after a drop in donations, just weeks before it plans to serve a Thanksgiving meal to more than 100 low-income and homeless neighbors in Greer. The kitchen, run by Daily Bread Ministries, keeps its doors open every day of the year. It

    Also reported byWSPA 7News

  3. Here Greer8 hours ago

    Greer Season Ends With 38-28 Playoff Loss to Greenville, on Here Greer

    GREER, S.C. — Greer hosted rival Greenville to open the state playoffs Friday night and saw its season end at Dooley Field, where the visitors won 38-28 in a Class 4A opening-round game. Greenville built a 28-7 cushion before halftime, with its junior quarterback throwing three touchdown passes and running for another. Greer chipped away

  4. Post and Courier8 hours ago

    What midterm election results do — and don’t — tell us about public education politics in SC, on Post and Courier

    It was a closer than usual race for state superintendent in South Carolina. What happened in the midterm elections?

  5. Independent Mail11 hours ago

    SCHSL football playoff brackets for 2026. See the second-round pairings, on Independent Mail

    See the South Carolina high school football playoff brackets for the second-round games.

  6. Greenville Online13 hours ago

    How Kiishawn Farrow was able to 'take back' Greenville football win against Greer, on Greenville Online

    Kiishawn Farrow passed for three touchdowns and ran for one as Greenville beat Greer in the 4A football playoffs.