Schools are closed, but that doesn’t mean the learning has to stop. Join us for a daily 4-H activity sent via e-mail. Activities can be completed at home using common household materials. Some may require internet access. Topics include: Animals and Agriculture, Healthy Lifestyles, Civic Engagement and Leadership, Natural Resources, and STEM.

Ages: 5-18

Cost: Free

4-H Membership not required.

Although this opportunity is hosted by the Midlands Region of South Carolina 4-H, any youth, regardless of their location, may participate.

Share your daily photos using the hashtag #SC4HatHome for a chance to win a free 4-H Membership and prize pack. Prizes will be given weekly.

With the closing of SC schools, we worry about the children who rely on school to get hot meals. So that being said, starting 3/16, all children meals are FREE to whomever needs food, no questions asked. We have our farmers @sharonhillfarm donating chickens and @trailplacefarmssc donating beef to help! Anyone wanting to donate time, money or product please contact us through messenger or call Jonathan at the restaurant. It’s time to do the right thing so lets band together and feed some children! Please SHARE to get the word out!

These are very unusual times in which we are living, and we here at Artists Collective | Spartanburg must do all we can do to keep ourselves and our patrons safe. For this reason the Collective will not be open to the public until further notice. This also means the cancellation of ArtWalk this month, Thursday, March 19, 2020.

We will evaluate every week. This does not mean you cannot come and go as you please. We will hang art, make art, and be ready “hopefully” to be open for next month’s ArtWalk.

It is very important for donors to continue donating in the weeks and months ahead in order to maintain an adequate local blood supply. If you are feeling healthy and well, please make an appointment before donating so we can maintain the proper social distancing. The safety of our donors and staff is our top priority!

According to experts, outdoors might not be much safer as far as this fast-moving virus is concerned. Maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet from others, no matter indoors or outdoors, is the recommended practice during this pandemic.

 the Blue Ridge Parkway closed its year-round Visitor Center in Asheville, at Milepost 384 near the U.S. 74A entrance, out of safety concerns for staff, volunteers and visitors.

“Other year-round facilities on the parkway managed by local partners will remain open at this time,” according to a statement from the National Park Service. “These sites include the Folk Art Center at Milepost 382 and the Museum of NC Minerals at Milepost 331.”

The parkway motor road and all accessible trails will also remain open where not otherwise closed due to weather. Decisions regarding planned seasonal, spring openings, such as park campgrounds and visitor centers, will be made at a later date.

Similarly, Great Smoky Mountains National Park announced March 17 that Sugarlands, Oconaluftee, and Cades Cove visitor centers are closed until further notice for public safety.

Seasonally open park campgrounds, picnic areas, roads, trails and restroom facilities located adjacent to visitor centers remain open and accessible to the public.

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site temporarily closed the Sandburg Home and Barn on March 17. This includes Sandburg Home tours, the park store, access to the goats and farm animals, all special events, all volunteer shifts, and in-park and off-site programs. Park grounds, except for the barn area, trails, and restrooms will remain open.

https://britishmuseum.withgoogle.com/

THE MUSEUM OF THE WORLD interactive

Wilbur, an irresistible young pig, who desperately wants to avoid becoming “pork chops,” meets an extraordinary spider who proves to be “a true friend and a good writer.” Based on E.B. White’s classic American children’s book, this treasured tale of endearing farm animals and the people who surround them explores bravery, selfless love, and the true meaning of friendship. Featuring a cast of local students and parents, Charlotte’s Web is a charming production fit for the whole family.

In adherence to the latest North Carolina state government restrictions of public gatherings, addressing the spread of COVID-19, Flat Rock Playhouse will be suspending all programming from March 16 – April 23.

If you purchased tickets for a performance that is being canceled, please contact the Box Office beginning 10 am on Monday, March 16 to arrange receipt of a gift certificate for the value of your ticket.  We also ask that you consider making a gift of your ticket. Theatre is a community that is built on the opportunity to come together to share stories and in this unprecedented circumstance, when coming together is not possible, we need your support more than ever.

https://corporate.charter.com/newsroom/charter-to-offer-free-access-to-spectrum-broadband-and-wifi-for-60-days-for-new-K12-and-college-student-households-and-more

In the coming weeks, many Americans will be affected either directly or indirectly by COVID-19 and Charter is focused on serving and supporting our 29 million customers. Americans rely on high speed broadband in nearly every aspect of their lives and Charter is committed to ensuring our customers maintain reliable access to the online resources and information they want and need. To ease the strain in this challenging time, beginning Monday, March 16, Charter commits to the following for 60 days:

• Charter will offer free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription and at any service level up to 100 Mbps. To enroll call 1-844-488-8395. Installation fees will be waived for new student households.
• Charter will partner with school districts to ensure local communities are aware of these tools to help students learn remotely. Charter will continue to offer Spectrum Internet Assist, high speed broadband program to eligible low-income households delivering speeds of 30 Mbps.
• Charter will open its Wi-Fi hotspots across our footprint for public use.
• Spectrum does not have data caps or hidden fees.

As the country works collaboratively to contain this pandemic, broadband internet access will be increasingly essential to ensuring that people across the country are able to learn and work remotely, that businesses can continue to serve customers, and that Americans stay connected and engaged with family and friends.

Charter’s advanced communications network will ensure our more than 29 million customers – including government offices, first responders, health care facilities, and businesses – across 41 states maintain the connectivity they rely on. The network is built to sustain maximum capacity during peak usage which is typically in the evenings, so a surge during the day would be well within the network’s capabilities to manage. Charter will continue to closely monitor this dynamic situation, and is well-prepared to continue delivering reliable connectivity. Charter has extensive business and workforce continuity plans in place that will be adjusted as needed to best serve all our customers and employees.

https://www.ropermountain.org/main.asp?titleid=elearning

https://dew.sc.gov/covid-hub

Due to the influx of unemployment claims being filed, the national system known as ICON hub, which all states use to validate social security numbers on claims in real time, is being overwhelmed with validation requests. We are required to validate social security numbers to avoid fraud and prevent identity theft. The ICON hub team is aware of this unusual issue and is working to expand their database capacity.  

In South Carolina, we are getting two different Social Security related questions:

First: The social security number field keeps you from filing a claim and states that the number is invalid and will not let you proceed to the next screen.

If you are getting this message, that is the validation delay mentioned above. We are asking folks to try to apply during an off-peak time. The validation of the social security number is done in REAL time, so that means as you are attempting to file, there are A LOT of people nationwide doing the same exact thing. We understand this has been an issue for a lot of people and as we get more information on progress, we will communicate that out.

Second: Once you have filed a claim, received a confirmation number and returned to the portal, your dashboard may show a pending Social Security Number Validation issue or a pending Separation issue.

These issues will be handled by our agency staff. No action is needed on your end. And if additional information is needed, a representative will contact you directly. There is no need to speak to an agent regarding these issues.

Get Growing! Thankfully during this time of social distancing, we don’t need to distance from the garden or farm. Here are some resources to help: Gardening Basics Ask Ruth Gardening Blog Series Ask Tom Farming Blog Series Participate in our Online Spring Gardening Series Workshop More Resources for Growers & Consumers during Covid 19 Visit Our Covid 19 Resource Page

Participating restaurants offer a variety of special Prix Fixe Menus for lunch, dinner or both. Check the Henderson County Restaurant Week website for participating restaurants and their menus.

A Few Farm Store Updates…

• Moving forward, our hours will be Wednesday – Sunday, 1pm – 4pm.
• We will be accepting orders via online only. https://www.hickorynutgap.com/product-category/home-delivery/?utm_source=Farm+General+Interest&utm_campaign=ad50dba514-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_25_12_35&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c6a6d890c6-ad50dba514-34117913 We will not be accepting orders over the phone.
• Orders placed after 7am will be available for pickup the following business day.
• We are shipping orders and also offering drive-through pickup from the Farm Store.
• The deli and kitchen will be closed until further notice.