A summer water parade is one of several new features this year at Carowinds, which opens Saturday.
Carowinds
Carowinds opens March 14, kicking off its 53rd season with several new attractions and events. The 400-acre theme park, which straddles the North Carolina and South Carolina state line, will introduce a spring haunted experience called Scream Break as part of its Spring Break event running April 3–12, alongside Easter and family activities. A new addition called The Conjuring: Beyond Fear offers an interactive horror experience combining elements of a maze, escape room and thriller, available for an additional charge. This summer, the park will debut the SPLASH! Water Parade, featuring musical performances, floats and water soaking zones. Carowinds features 60 rides, attractions and stage shows, plus the 26-acre Carolina Harbor water park, and is owned by Charlotte-based Six Flags Entertainment Corp.
Reported by John Marks, published March 10
York County is considering rezoning a nearly 51-acre site at Gold Hill Road and U.S. 21 Bypass, near two new Fort Mill schools, from light industrial to larger commercial uses. Possible developments include hotels, offices, restaurants, and large businesses. County long-range planner Thomas Newlin described it as “an opportunity for a property of this scale to develop into a cohesive business park.” The rezoning would eliminate industrial uses from the site. The proposal comes amid ongoing public concern over neighboring Silfab Solar, which experienced two chemical spills in early March. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended the change after a brief discussion, with York County Council set to hold a public hearing on April 6.
Reported by John Marks, published March 11
A historic home in Tega Cay, once owned by the late North Carolina civil rights icon Julius Chambers, is on the market for $995,000. The five-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom tri-story property overlooks Lake Wylie and was built in 1972 on about half an acre. It features a boat slip, two-car garage, and sits on a cul-de-sac. The Chambers family sold the home in 2017 for $500,000, according to York County property records. Notably, Harvey Gantt, a prominent architect and Charlotte’s first Black mayor, performed renovations on the property decades ago. Chambers was a celebrated civil rights lawyer who won landmark cases, including Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, and argued before the U.S. Supreme Court eight times without a single loss. He died in 2013, but his legacy endures through tributes including a renamed post office and a renamed high school in Charlotte, both dedicated in 2021.
Reported by Desiree Mathurin, published March 10
At a Greenville forum hosted by the Upstate Republican Women, Republican candidates for South Carolina governor outlined differing approaches to eliminating the state income tax. Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette said she would prioritize eliminating the income tax in her first 100 days, later clarifying it would be a key focus rather than an immediate action. She emphasized leveraging technology and reducing regulations to improve efficiency and save billions. Attorney General Alan Wilson proposed capping state budget growth to inflation and population growth, returning surplus revenue as tax cuts over six to twelve years. Wilson argued the state has a spending problem, not a revenue problem, citing figures showing spending grew 6.5% over ten years versus 3.2% population-indexed inflation growth. Other candidates, including U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace and state Sen. Josh Kimbrell, have also proposed their own income tax elimination plans.
Reported by Joseph Bustos, published March 5
A South Carolina Senate panel voted 6-2 to “continue” a bill that would have removed religious exemptions for the MMR vaccine, effectively killing the legislation for the year. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Margie Bright Matthews, D-Colleton, came amid a historic measles outbreak in the Upstate now in its 22nd week, with 990 confirmed cases, 923 of which occurred in unvaccinated individuals. Opponents argued the measure infringed on religious freedom, while state epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell told lawmakers that maintaining high vaccination coverage protects those who cannot be vaccinated. Nearly 9.6% of students in Spartanburg County hold religious exemptions, according to state public health data. A separate bill banning vaccine mandates for children under 24 months passed the same panel the same day.
Reported by Lucy Valeski, published March 5
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. has agreed to sell seven of its amusement parks to real estate investment firm EPR Properties for $331 million, the company announced March 5. The sale is part of Six Flags’ strategy to reduce debt, streamline operations, and focus on parks with the strongest growth potential. The deal comes two weeks after Six Flags reported a net loss of $1.6 billion for 2025. Carowinds is not part of the sale. Once the transaction closes, Six Flags will operate 34 parks across 23 North American locations. The seven sold parks collectively drew about 4.5 million visitors last year, generating roughly $260 million in revenue and $45 million in profit. EPR will partner with Enchanted Parks to manage the six U.S. properties and La Ronde Operations Inc. to run Six Flags La Ronde in Canada.
Reported by Catherine Muccigrosso, published March 6
