November 2018 Features

• South Carolina Department of Education and Education Oversight Committee Release New School Report Cards

  November 30, 2018

  The South Carolina Department of Education and Education Oversight Committee released school and district report cards as part of the state’s merged state and federal accountability system. The 2018 report cards reflect school and district performance during the 2017-2018 school year and contain overall school ratings for the first time since 2014.

• Consumers are ready to Spend This Holiday, but not Necessarily at the Stores

  November 29, 2018

  Holiday shoppers are more than prepared to buy in force this year. The only question is who will capture their dollars. Three out of four consumers (76 percent) plan to spend as much or more than they did last year, but, according to A.T. Kearney's 2018 Holiday Shopping Survey.

• Exclusive: South Carolina Counties Making Headway When It Comes to Attracting Talent

  November 28, 2018

  South Carolina is making national progress when it comes to attracting and developing skilled workers. Lancaster County is the No. 9 small county this year in the Talent Attraction Scorecard, a ranking compiled by Emsi, a labor market analytics firm. Nine other Palmetto State counties made the top 100.

• Cheryl Stanton Resigns as S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce Executive Director

  November 27, 2018

  Governor Henry McMaster announced Cheryl Stanton’s resignation as Executive Director of the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, effective December 7, 2018.

• Duke Energy Partners with S.C. Technical College System to Expand Lineworker Training with $1M Grant

  November 26, 2018

  Duke Energy is partnering with the S.C. Technical College System to invest $1 million in grants to expand training opportunities for much-needed utility lineworkers across the state.

• Governor’s Opportunity Zones Summit Scheduled

  November 16, 2018

  Led by Governor Henry McMaster and in partnership with the Office of U.S. Senator Tim Scott and the Council of Development Finance Agencies, the state of South Carolina will present the Governor’s Opportunity Zones Summit on January 25, 2019 in Columbia, S.C.

• South Carolina Launches New Comprehensive State Health Improvement Plan

  November 15, 2018

  Stakeholders in South Carolina's healthcare and business community along with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control are excited to announce, "Live Healthy SC," a comprehensive plan to improve population health and address South Carolina's greatest health challenges.

• Amazon Selects New York City and Northern Virginia for New Headquarters

  November 14, 2018

  Amazon announced that it has selected New York City and Arlington, Virginia, as the locations for the company’s new headquarters. Amazon will invest $5 billion and create more than 50,000 jobs across the two new headquarters locations, with more than 25,000 employees each in New York City and Arlington.

• BLS Releases 2017 State, National Injury/Illness Rates for SC

  November 13, 2018

  South Carolina's on-the-job injury/illness rate for private industry was essentially unchanged at 2.5 injuries/illnesses per 100 full-time equivalent workers in 2017. The U.S. rate for private industry in 2017 was 2.8.

• Insurance Management Group, A Leading SC Benefits Company, Partners with United Benefit Advisors

  November 12, 2018

  United Benefit Advisors, the nation’s leading independent employee benefits advisory organization, is pleased to welcome Insurance Management Group to our family of Partners. As a combined group, UBA’s annual employee benefit revenues rank it among the top ten employee benefit advisory organizations globally.

• SC Republican Party Reports Record High Levels of Straight-Ticket Voting

  November 12, 2018

  GOP straight ticket in 2018 not only nearly doubled the 2014 mid-term cycle tally of 295,416, but actually outpaced the 2016 presidential election results by 46,699.

• Small Business Optimism Reaches Post-Recession High Amid Continued Growth and Strong Economic Conditions

  November 12, 2018

  Continued growth and a strong economy have small business optimism reaching post-recession highs, particularly among male business owners, according to Capital One's latest Small Business Growth Index, a biannual survey of 500 small business owners gauging sentiment related to the economy, business conditions and plans for growth.

• FEMA Extends Federal Disaster Assistance Deadline for South Carolina Residents

  November 09, 2018

  At the request of Governor Henry McMaster, FEMA has extended the deadline for South Carolina residents to apply for federal disaster assistance following Hurricane Florence. The deadline to register for aid through FEMA – for uninsured or underinsured damage or losses due to Hurricane Florence – has been extended to 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018.

• SC Chamber Announces 2018 South Carolina Branded Awards

  November 08, 2018

  The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with The Brand Leader, will present the 2018 SC Branded Awards on November 26 at The Sanctuary Hotel on Kiawah Island. The SC Branded Awards honor local initiatives, locations, products, and events that make up the brand that is South Carolina.

• AT&T Names Terrance Ford as SC Legislative Director

  November 06, 2018

  Terrance Ford is the new Director of Legislative Affairs for AT&T in South Carolina. Ford is a 17-year veteran of AT&T and its predecessor companies. He was previously Regional Director of External Affairs in the Upstate and succeeds Jane Sosebee, who was named president of AT&T South Carolina last month.

• Life Sciences Industry Honors Commerce Sec. Hitt, Abbott's Tom Strange, Nephron for Leadership, Contributions to Industry

  November 05, 2018

  To resounding applause from a record gathering from 4 countries, 22 states and virtually every county in South Carolina, life sciences leaders saluted three leaders – two individuals and one organization – for profound positive impact and exceptional contributions to the advancement of South Carolina’s $11.4 billion life sciences industry.

• SC College Students Given Tourism Scholarships

  November 05, 2018

  Nine South Carolina college students from hospitality-related programs were given Tourism Student Awards Wednesday during a ceremony at the Lace House in Columbia. The students were recognized for outstanding academic achievement related to hospitality and tourism in South Carolina, including culinary studies.

• Carolinas-based McNair Law Firm Sold to Burr & Forman, LLP

  November 02, 2018

  Burr & Forman will acquire Carolinas-based McNair Law Firm, P.A. with McNair attorneys and employees joining Burr & Forman effective January 1, 2019. The firm will operate as Burr Forman McNair in South Carolina and Charlotte, NC for a period of two years.

• Exclusive: Trucking Trends Could Heat up Already Strong S.C. Industrial Market

  November 01, 2018

  Rule changes in the trucking industry could work to the benefit of South Carolina’s warehouse market, according to a local real estate brokerage. Charleston and Greenville-Spartanburg are both considered to be secondary markets. Colliers cites both markets’ proximity to the Port of Charleston, its linkage to inland ports in Greer and Dillion, and interstate highway connectivity as advantages.