Impact Report: Here are 7 journalists that made a difference in Upstate SC in 2022

In 2022, the Upstate and South Carolina cast ballots during a contentious primary and midterm election season.

In the wake of a Greenville 12-year-old dying at the hands of a classmate in March, and when a Spartanburg County deputy was killed in the line of duty, we continued to face tragedies due to gun violence.

We weathered several storms this year, including the recent arctic blast that made it a Christmas weekend for the record books.

Greenville and Spartanburg continued to see unprecedented business and residential growth. However, neither flourishing city is immune to issues related to affordable housing and gentrification.

Unity Park was completed and opened in Greenville. Downtown Spartanburg started moving closer to a reimagined Morgan Square in the same year that local music legends, Marshall Tucker Band, treated downtown to a night that will be long remembered.

These are just a few of the stories published by the Greenville News, Spartanburg Herald-Journal and Anderson Independent Mail that exemplified 2022 as a year of both challenges and triumphs.

As part of our yearly Impact Report, we are putting a spotlight on examples of impactful journalism by our award-winning Upstate newsrooms.

We are able to cover our communities, in depth, with the support of our digital subscribers. With our current offer, you can purchase a digital subscription for just 99 cents per month. That means never hitting the paywall and investing in hyper-local reporting by journalists who strive to make South Carolina a better place to live and work.

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Spotlighting 7 South Carolina journalists

⊳Macon Atkinson goes beyond the surface level in her reporting of the long-awaited $80 million, 60-acre Unity Park in west Greenville. Since 2020, she has reported on the testy debates on the project at City Council meetings, while publishing FOIA-based stories that asked difficult questions about city spending and gentrification issues. Macon's reporting on Unity Park held public leaders accountable and informed readers with dozens of updates regarding the park's progress.

⊳ We strive for thorough reporting on public safety issues and incidents, especially, and Bob Montgomery shed light on two important stories through Freedom of Information Act requests. Bob dug through hundreds of pages and case files to provide background and depth about a deadly shooting incident on Southport Road and the standoff at Cleveland Park that left two dead and four more injured.

⊳Our reporting is always better when we have a strong, team effort. In 2022, the News, Herald-Journal and Independent Mail formed a cohesive Projects Team. That group of reporters, photographers and editors will lead our investigations on local, regional and statewide issues. Reporting by Clare Amari and Kathryn Casteel on the Rockstar Cheer scandal is important, impactful and is an example of the journalism you can continue to expect from our Projects Team.

⊳If you live in Anderson County or have attended a Clemson sporting event, chances are, you've seen Ken Ruinard hard at work. And if you attend a SC Press Association awards banquet, you'll almost certainly hear his name called more than a few times. Ken's keen eye for breaking news and feature photos provides a unique depth to our coverage in Anderson County and around the Upstate.

⊳Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office Deputy Austin Aldridge died in the line of duty in June. During the latter half of September and October alone, nine people died from six separate homicide incidents in Spartanburg County. In September, the town of Pacolet was left without a police force after a mass exodus of its officers. Chalmers Rogland's reporting informed readers about tragic and difficult events while providing analysis and community perspective on complex issues surrounding gun violence and public safety.

⊳The lowcountry communities in and around Hampton County have been forever changed due to the saga surrounding disgraced and disbarred lawyer Alex Murdaugh. Hampton County Guardian editor, Michael DeWitt, has doggedly uncovered new details related to the upcoming double murder trial while digging deeper for in depth stories about the noted Hampton County dynasty. Michael's work displays how connected our journalists in South Carolina are to their communities.

Our team of reporters, photographers and editors have robust plans for more of the same type of watchdog journalism, listed above, in 2023. If there is an issue or topic you want to read more about, feel free to reach out to me via email at gwhisnant@gannett.com.

Gabe Whisnant is the interim Executive Editor of the Greenville News, Spartanburg Herald-Journal and Anderson Independent Mail.