Banana Ball returns to Atlanta, Greenville, and Spartanburg in 2026
WYFF NEWS FOUR AT SIX STARTS RIGHT NOW. AN UPSTATE FORMER MAYOR IS FACING A CRIMINAL SEXUAL CHARGE AFTER A SITUATION AT A HOSPITAL. I’M MIYA PAYTON IN THE NEWSROOM. I SPOKE WITH OFFICIALS AT THE HOSPITAL. THE DETAILS COMING UP. THERE IS ACTIVE, UNRECOGNIZED COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION OF MEASLES OCCURRING IN THE UPSTATE. STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE URGING PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED AMID A MEASLES OUTBREAK IN THE UPSTATE. HOW THIS IS AFFECTING STUDENTS AT TWO SCHOOLS. TRACKING YOUR WEEKEND FORECAST FROM COOL AIR HERE AT HOME TO A COASTAL LOW DEVELOPING. I’LL HAVE THE NEW TRACK OF THAT SYSTEM FALL FOR GREENVILLE IS FINALLY HERE. I’M NATE STANLEY WITH WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GET TO THE FESTIVAL. WE BEGIN IN GREENWOOD COUNTY TONIGHT AT 6:00. WE’RE LEARNING MORE DETAILS AFTER A FORMER MAYOR OF CALHOUN FALLS WAS ARRESTED AT A HOSPITAL. HE’S BEING CHARGED WITH THIRD DEGREE CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONDUCT. INVESTIGATORS SAY THE INCIDENT INVOLVED A VULNERABLE PATIENT. OUR MIYA PAYTON HAS BEEN LOOKING DEEPER INTO THIS, AND SHE JOINS US FROM THE NEWSROOM WITH MORE. MIYA, YOU ALSO SPOKE WITH OFFICIALS FROM THE HOSPITAL. YES. NIGEL AND SIDNEY, I’VE LEARNED A WHOLE LOT MORE. THE FORMER MAYOR, JOHNNY WALLER, IS ALSO KNOWN AS A PASTOR. AND INVESTIGATORS SAY HE OFTEN VISITS THE HOSPITAL AND ITS VISITING PATIENTS. UNDER THAT PASTORAL ROLE. HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW RIGHT NOW. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT LED TO WALLER’S CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONDUCT CHARGE. THE GREENWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS ON SEPTEMBER 27TH, A HOSPITAL STAFF MEMBER REPORTED WITNESSING A SITUATION INVOLVING WALLER IN A PATIENT’S ROOM. OFFICIALS SAY THE PATIENT HAS BEEN UNDER THE MEDICAL CARE AT SOUTH REGIONAL SINCE EARLY 2025, AND HAS BEEN, QUOTE, DEEMED TO LACK DECISION MAKING CAPACITY BY MULTIPLE PHYSICIANS. WELL, THEY TELL US, AFTER REVIEWING SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE AND COLLECTING STATEMENTS FROM THE HOSPITAL STAFF, A WARRANT WAS ISSUED FOR WALLER’S ARREST, AND HE IS NO LONGER ALLOWED ON SELF REGIONAL HEALTH CARE PROPERTIES. WYFF REACHED OUT TO SELF REGIONAL HOSPITAL AND ASKED FOR THE HOSPITAL’S POLICIES FOR PASTORS WHO VISIT PATIENTS. THEY TOLD ME, QUOTE, WE DO NOT HAVE A SEPARATE POLICY SPECIFIC TO CLERGY OR FAITH MEMBERS. THEY ARE SUBJECT TO OUR GENERAL VISITATION POLICY. I ALSO ASKED IF THERE ARE CURRENT SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE TO ENSURE PATIENTS, FAMILIES AND STAFF ARE PROTECTED BY VISITORS, INCLUDING PASTORAL VISITORS. I WAS TOLD, QUOTE, YES, OUR HOSPITAL MAINTAINS MULTIPLE LAYERS OF SAFETY MEASURES. ALL STAFF RECEIVE REGULAR SAFETY AND AWARENESS TRAINING. SECURITY CAMERAS ARE POSITIONED THROUGHOUT HALLWAYS, ENTRANCES, EXITS, PARKING AREAS AND CAMPUS GROUNDS. WE ALSO HAVE DEDICATED ON SITE SECURITY PERSONNEL AND HOLD DAILY SAFETY HURDLES TO PROMOTE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. EVERY SELF REGIONAL HEALTHCARE TEAM MEMBER IS REMINDED. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING. THOSE PROTOCOLS WERE FOLLOWED APPROPRIATELY IN THIS INCIDENT. END QUOTE. THE HOSPITAL ALSO SAYS WALLER HAS NEVER BEEN EMPLOYED, VOLUNTEERED WITH, OR HAD ANY AFFILIATION TO SELF REGIONAL HEALTHCARE. MIYA DID INVESTIGATORS GIVE ANY DETAILS ABOUT WHAT ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE INSIDE THE PATIENT’S ROOM? WELL, SIDNEY, I ASKED. INVESTIGATORS TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO SHARE THOSE DETAILS OF THE INVESTIGATION RIGHT NOW. I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT I REACHED OUT TO WALLER. I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK IN THE NEWSROOM REPORTING. I’M MIYA PAYTON BACK TO YOU, MIYA. THANK YOU. LET’S TURN TO OUR WEATHER NOW. AS WE. THERE WE GO. IT’S FEELING LIKE FALL. A LIVE LOOK FROM OUR ASHEVILLE SKYCAM. THIS SHOT TAKES YOUR BREATH. IT IS. IT IS BEAUTIFUL. JUST A GORGEOUS SHOT OF OUR BEAUTIFUL AREA. CHIEF METEOROLOGIST CHRIS JUSTUS IS HERE. HE HAS THE AREA CERTIFIED MOST ACCURATE FORECAST AND CHRIS, LOTS GOING ON THIS WEEKEND. THE PEOPLE ARE WONDERING HOW’S THE WEATHER LOOKING? YOU KNOW FINE. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT LOW HUMIDITY, CRISP MORNINGS, MILD AFTERNOONS. AND LOOK AT THIS SUNSET. WE’RE BEING TREATED TO RIGHT NOW. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL OVER LAKE HARTWELL IN ANDERSON RIGHT NOW. THIS IS THE PORTMAN MARINA SKYCAM. AS WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS RIGHT NOW, IT’S A COMFORTABLE DAY. 72 DEGREES. THAT’S WHAT YOU’D HAVE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. RIGHT AS WE GO INTO THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. WHEN THAT SUN DOES SINK DOWN OVER THE LAKE THERE, IT IS GOING TO BE A COOL NIGHT TAKING SHAPE. CLEAR SKIES MEAN THAT HEAT THAT WE RECEIVED TODAY FROM THE SUN WILL GO STRAIGHT BACK UP INTO SPACE, AND IT WILL BE A COOL NIGHT. ALREADY INTO THE 60S THERE IN PICKENS. IT’S 64, IN HENDERSONVILLE AND IN ASHEVILLE IS 66, IN RUTHERFORDTON. OVER THE NEXT 12 HOURS, LOOK FOR THE TEMPERATURES TO DIP DOWN INTO THE LOW 50S. EVEN A FEW 40S PEPPERED IN HERE AND THERE AS WE GO INTO TOMORROW MORNING. COMING UP, I’LL MAP OUT WHERE WE GO HOUR BY HOUR INTO THE WEEKEND. CHRIS. THANK YOU. THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH IS PUSHING FOR PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED AGAINST THE MEASLES, AS ANOTHER CASE IS CONFIRMED IN THE UPSTATE. HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY OUT OF THE 11 CASES STATEWIDE, NINE OF THEM HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED IN SPARTANBURG AND GREENVILLE COUNTIES. A REY LLERENA JOINS US LIVE IN GREENVILLE. AND RAY, WHAT DID THE STATE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE MOST RECENT CASE? WELL, NIGEL, STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THAT THAT MOST RECENT CASE WAS CONFIRMED TO BE IN GREENVILLE COUNTY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. BUT THEY ALSO SAY THAT IT IS TOO EARLY TO TELL WHETHER THIS NEW CASE IN GREENVILLE COUNTY IS RELATED TO PREVIOUS CASES IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY. STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS DID NOT GIVE THE EXACT LOCATION OF WHERE THIS MOST RECENT MEASLES CASE WAS FOUND IN GREENVILLE COUNTY, BUT DID CONFIRM THAT TWO SCHOOLS IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY CONFIRMED TO HAVE MEASLES CASES, THOSE BEING FAIRFOREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN DISTRICT SIX AND GLOBAL ACADEMY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, WHICH IS A PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL. DFE SAYS THAT THERE ARE ABOUT ARE ABOUT 153 UNVACCINATED STUDENTS IN THOSE TWO SCHOOLS WHO WERE IDENTIFIED AS CLOSE CONTACTS TO THE MEASLES CASE, A DISTRICT SPOKESPERSON SAYS. ALL UNVACCINATED STUDENTS WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM IN-PERSON LEARNING THROUGH OCTOBER 22ND. DISTRICT OFFICIALS ALSO SAY THAT THERE HAVE BEEN THREE CONFIRMED CASES OF MEASLES AT THE SCHOOL, BUT IT IS NOT WHERE THE OUTBREAK ORIGINATED. MEANWHILE, GLOBAL ACADEMY SAYS IT HAS NOTIFIED THE FAMILIES OF THE CHILDREN WHO CAME IN CLOSE CONTACT. EPIDEMIOLOGIST LINDA BELL SAYS THAT MEASLES CASES CAN REMAIN INFECTIOUS FOR AS LONG AS TWO HOURS AFTER A SICK PERSON LEAVES THE AREA. THE CONCERN IS THAT FOR ANY WHO HAVE HAD CLOSE CONTACT AND ARE NOT IMMUNE, AS MANY AS 90% OF THEM CAN BECOME INFECTED, AND FOR THIS REASON, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET OUR IMMUNIZATION RATES UP AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. ACCORDING TO THE CDC, THERE HAVE BEEN 44 MEASLES OUTBREAKS SO FAR IN THE U.S. IN 2025, COMPARED TO JUST 16 OUTBREAKS IN 2024, STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THEY’RE EVALUATING WHERE TO PLACE MOBILE VACCINATION SERVICES TO HELP RAISE THOSE RATES. AND ON OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS WYFF 4 DOT COM, WE HAVE A TIMELINE OF THIS CURRENT OUTBREAK OF MEASLES HAPPENING IN THE UPSTATE, REPORTING LIVE IN GREENVILLE, REY LLERENA WYFF NEWS FOUR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. BOND DENIED AGAIN TODAY FOR THE TEENS ACCUSED OF MURDERING ANOTHER TEEN IN A CHURCH PARKING LOT. THIS HAPPENED BACK IN APRIL IN FRONT OF SAINT MARK’S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN THE SAN SOUCI COMMUNITY. OFFICIALS SAY HANS JADEN THOMPSON OF GREER WAS KILLED IN THAT SHOOTING. THEY SAY A 15 YEAR OLD AND 16 YEAR-OLD ARE FACING CHARGES IN THE INVESTIGATION. TODAY WE SPOKE WITH THOMPSON’S MOTHER, WHO WAS FRUSTRATED THAT SHE AND HER FAMILY MUST GO BACK TO COURT EACH MONTH FOR THE SUSPECT’S BOND HEARING, SAYING IT OPENS THE WOUNDS OF LOSING HER SON. IT’S THE MOST RIDICULOUS FEELING IN THE WORLD, LIKE HAVING TO LOOK AT THEM AND TO ME, I’VE NOT SEEN ANY REMORSE WITH EITHER ONE OF THEM. I KNOW THEY WANT THEIR FREEDOM BACK, BUT I WANT MY SON BACK. YOU KNOW, IT OPENS THE WOUND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, HAVING TO HEAR NEW, NEW DETAILS IN THE WHOLE SITUATION. INVESTIGATORS SAY THE SUSPECTS AND THOMPSON MET IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE CHURCH, WHERE THE SUSPECT SHOT AND ROBBED THE VICTIM BEFORE LEAVING THE SCENE. AND WE ARE LEARNING NEW DETAILS ABOUT ADDITIONAL CHARGES FILED AGAINST A FORMER BOILING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER. DEPUTIES SAY MICAH LANKFORD IS ACCUSED IS FACING 16 ADDITIONAL CHARGES FOR SEXUAL BATTERY WITH A STUDENT AND CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONDUCT. THESE NEW CHARGES BRING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CHARGES AGAINST LANKFORD TO 40. DEPUTIES SAY HE REMAINS BEHIND BARS TONIGHT. THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS NOW INTO ITS NINTH DAY WITH NO END IN SIGHT. THE SENATE REJECTED THE DEMOCRATS ALTERNATIVE SHORT TERM GOVERNMENT SPENDING BILL ALONG PARTY LINES. THE SENATE ALSO REJECTED A HOUSE PASSED SHORT TERM SPENDING BILL THAT WOULD REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH NOVEMBER 21ST. AT CURRENT FUNDING LEVELS, REPUBLICANS HAVE CALLED THE HOUSE CONTINUING RESOLUTION A CLEAN BILL, BUT CONGRESSMAN JIM CLYBURN, WHO REPRESENTS SOUTH CAROLINA’S SIXTH DISTRICT AND IS THE STATE’S ONLY DEMOCRAT SERVING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, TELLS. WYFF NEWS FOR THE REPUBLICANS CLAIM IS FALSE. THEY HAVE TOLD YOU IT’S CLEAN, READ THE BILL AND YOU’LL KNOW THIS IS NOT A CLEAN, SIMPLE EXTENSION. IF IT WERE, WE WOULD BE VOTING FOR IT. THAT’S NOT WHAT THIS IS. THEY PASSED A BILL THAT TAKES AWAY PEOPLE’S HEALTH CARE. THAT’S WHAT THIS BILL IS DOING. HOW DO YOU CALL THAT CLEAN FOR CONTINUING COVERAGE OF THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, TUNE IN TO NBC NIGHTL
Banana Ball returns to Atlanta, Greenville, and Spartanburg in 2026
Updated: 9:52 PM EDT Oct 9, 2025
The Savannah Banana Baseball League has announced its 2026 schedule with Banana Ball returning to Atlanta, Greenville, Spartanburg and more. Fans will have three opportunities to catch this unique take on the sport of baseball at Truist Park, with the Savannah Bananas and Party Animals facing off May 8-10, 2026.Banana Ball returns to Fluor Field in Greenville, South Carolina, with the Firefighters and the Indianapolis Clowns going head-to-head April 24-26, 2026.The Texas Tailgaters and the Indianapolis Clowns will play against each other for three games Aug. 6-8, 2026, at Fifth Third Park in Spartanburg, SC.The 2026 Banana Ball Ticket Lottery is now open through Oct. 31. Tickets start at $35. Fans can enter at www.BananaBall.com.For the Bananas’ full schedule, click here.
ATLANTA —
The Savannah Banana Baseball League has announced its 2026 schedule with Banana Ball returning to Atlanta, Greenville, Spartanburg and more.
Fans will have three opportunities to catch this unique take on the sport of baseball at Truist Park, with the Savannah Bananas and Party Animals facing off May 8-10, 2026.
Banana Ball returns to Fluor Field in Greenville, South Carolina, with the Firefighters and the Indianapolis Clowns going head-to-head April 24-26, 2026.
The Texas Tailgaters and the Indianapolis Clowns will play against each other for three games Aug. 6-8, 2026, at Fifth Third Park in Spartanburg, SC.
The 2026 Banana Ball Ticket Lottery is now open through Oct. 31. Tickets start at $35. Fans can enter at www.BananaBall.com.
For the Bananas’ full schedule, click here.