Area Businesses Welcome Chamber’s Emerging Leaders Group

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The Florence Chamber held our second Emerging Leaders Summer Institute session, with Business, Industry and Innovation as the theme. The group will be visiting local businesses and meeting community leaders throughout the summer.

Thank you to Otis Elevator, Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (SiMT), Gould Business Incubator and Morning News for taking time out to host and present to the group this week.

Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting leadership program!

Downtown Florence Weekly Newsletter

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(image courtesy: Florence Downtown)

Want to get the latest details on what’s on tap for this week in Downtown Florence?

Click on the link below to see when Willy Wonka takes center stage at the Florence Little Theatre, get details on food and entertainment options, see what the latest exhibits are at the Florence County Museum and learn how to make the most of you and your family’s time at the Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation Library!

Click below:

Florence Downtown Newsletter

August Ribbon Cutting Scheduled for FMU Center for Health Sciences Downtown

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fountain

From Francis Marion University:

The waters are dancing at FMU’s Carter Center for the Health Sciences in downtown Florence where installation of the fountain out front is now complete.

Faculty from the School of Health Sciences is beginning move-in this week.

A ribbon-cutting is set for Aug. 4 at 10 a.m.

The building will house the university’s Nurse Practitioner Program, a proposed physician assistant program and classroom and administrative space for the University of South Carolina’s third and fourth year medical students and instructors.

The USC Medical Student Clinic will begin by the fall of 2016.

More information on the facility and its opening can be found in this story below from WPDE Abc15News:

WPDE news article: FMU Center for Health Sciences

New Hyatt Place Hotel Coming to Downtown Florence

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Hyatt Place

(image courtesy: SCnow.com)

From the Morning News:

FLORENCE – A $15 million Hyatt Place hotel will soon take shape in downtown Florence.

Raines Hospitality president Grey Raines officially unveiled the project this morning alongside Florence Mayor Stephen Wukela.

In partnership with SpringBridge Development, the 103-room hotel on East Evans and Dargan Street will be a “a modern hub for all business and leisure guests,” Raines said, “and we’re excited about the next phase of what the hospitality world can bring to downtown Florence.”

The grand opening is expected in the first quarter of 2018.

To read more about the opening and the Morning News article in its entirety, click on the link below:

Hyatt Place Hotel Planned for Downtown Florence

Florence City Council Discusses Proposed Changes to Sign Ordinance

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Florence City Council members recently discussed the potential for big changes in the city’s sign ordinance.

Under the measure, one major change would occur surrounding the Grove at Ebenezer, which will be a 240 acre development off of Pine Needles Road.

If approved, the ordinance changes would mean that the first 100 feet south of Pine Needles Road all the way to I-95 could have a sign that’s 160 square feet, whereas what is currently allowed is 4 feet by 8 feet, or 32 square feet, according to the Morning News article.

Find out exactly what that would mean for some residential roads by clicking the link below to the story from the Morning News:

SCnow.com web article- Florence Sign Ordinance

 

SC First in Nation to Become Fully Certified ‘Work Ready’ State

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South Carolina is the first state in the country to become fully certified under the “work ready” program! This is definitely big news for the business community, as all 46 counties have met the specified workforce and education goals.
 
Under the program, the state gives a test to potential workers and then attempts to match available jobs to those skill sets.
 
You can read more about the important milestone by clicking on the link below:
News Article: SC First in Nation to Become Fully Certified ‘Work Ready’ State

Florence District One Prepares for Upcoming School Year

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From the Morning News:

“The 2015-16 school year ended with nearly nine hundred high school seniors graduating from Florence School District One.

Before the new school year starts back up, Superintendent Randy Bridges sat down with the Morning News to discuss last year’s progress as well what is ahead for the coming year.”

Read the entire article by clicking below:

SCnow.com web article- Florence District One Preview

Florence Little Theatre to Celebrate 93rd Season

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Florence Little Theatre

(image courtesy: Patricia Burkett Photography)

Looking for some fantastic entertainment? Look no further than right here in the Pee Dee at the Florence Little Theatre!

Here’s a great preview of what they’ve got in the works for the upcoming season, courtesy of the Florence News Journal’s Brenda Harrison:

“The Florence Little Theatre has “Something Wonderful” planned for its 2016-2017 Season. The season opens Friday, July 15, with the summer production, “Ronald Dahl’s Willy Wonka JR.,” featuring a cast of youth performers. “We’re trying to do something new with “Addams’s Family,” mixed with old classics such as “The King and I,’ explained FLT President John Bankson. Included in the mix will be “To Kill A Mockingbird,” “Always Patsy Cline” and “Barefoot in the Park.”

To read more about each individual performance and to get information on ticket and sponsor prices, view the entire article by clicking below:

Florence News Journal Article: Florence Little Theatre Celebrates 93rd Season

 

Florence Downtown Weekly Newsletter

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What’s going on this week in Florence?

Get all the details on events at the library and museum, find out about live music and see when the farmer’s market will be up and running.

It’s all in the latest edition of the downtown newsletter, which you can find by clicking on the link below:
Florence Downtown Newsletter

SC Disaster Recovery Team Holds Meetings for Flood Victims in the Pee Dee

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(image courtesy: SCEMD)
Members of the SC Disaster Recovery team held a town hall meeting Wednesday night in Florence County for homeowners affected by last October’s catastrophic floods.
 
$96 million has been set aside for South Carolinians to recover and SC Disaster Recovery is making sure that money gets into the hands of those who need it.
 
Additional meetings will take place in the Pee Dee area for those needing more information on the efforts and to discover if they qualify for the funds.
 
The remaining three meetings will be held:
 
–Thursday, July 7: Alex Chatman Complex Auditorium, 147 West Main St., Kingstree
 
–Monday, July 11: Patriot Hall, 135 Haynsworth St, Sumter
 
–Tuesday, July 12: Howard Recreational Center, 1610 Hawkins St. Georgetown
 
You can read more about the recent meeting by clicking on the story below from WBTW News13: