Initial S.C. Unemployment Claims Soar for Week Ending Jan. 1

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The first week of initial unemployment claims stretching into 2022 in South Carolina saw an increase of more than 2,400 from the previous week.

For the week ending Jan. 1, 3,582 initial unemployment claims were filed in the state, an increase of 2,447 from the week before. Anderson County saw 1,305 claims, the highest in the state by more than 800, according to data from the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce. Richland County had 442 claims.

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Sonoco Recycling Acquires American Recycling of Western North Carolina

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Sonoco Recycling, a unit of Sonoco (NYSE: SON), one of the largest sustainable global packaging companies, today announced it has acquired American Recycling of Western North Carolina, a privately owned recovered paper recycler located in Asheville, N.C.

American Recycling of Western North Carolina is a privately owned business that processes approximately 30,000 tons of recovered fiber annually at its well-capitalized Asheville material recovery facility. The business expects to generate approximately $9 million in sales in 2021 and it is strategically located approximately 65 miles from Sonoco’s Newport, TN, uncoated recycled paperboard mill.

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Team S.C. Showcasing State at Worldwide Tech Conference in Vegas

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South Carolina is transforming into a hub for technology and innovation, and the best and brightest in ingenuity are representing the Palmetto State at CES 2022. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association, CES is one of the world’s biggest tech trade shows and currently taking place in Las Vegas.

The Upstate SC Alliance and Charleston Regional Development Alliance, along with S.C. Commerce, have teamed up to once again showcase South Carolina and highlight the latest in innovation across the state.

This influential event, featuring the latest transformative technologies, is an opportunity to meet with top technology companies, innovators and research institutions from across the country and around the world.

To read the full article, click here.

More Townhomes Could Be Coming to Celebration Boulevard

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On the agenda for this week’s meeting of the Florence Planning Commission is the approval of a sketch plan for seven townhomes to be located on a vacant lot between Bojangles and the Edward Jones office.

The plan calls for the front doors of the homes to face Celebration Boulevard.

The information provided to the Planning Commission does not indicate how many bedrooms the townhomes will have. However, a drawing of the townhomes indicates that they will be two stories tall and will have concrete parking in front of the units.

In 2020, the Planning Commission approved sketch plans for the construction of two townhome developments: an 8-unit building to be located near where Festival Lane turns toward its intersection with Celebration Boulevard and two six-unit townhome buildings behind the Fire It Up building.

Chamber Ribbon Cutting Marks Talus’ Arrival in Florence

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With the quick snip of a pair of scissors the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce celebrated the addition of Talus Pay to the pantheon of Florence-area businesses on Wednesday, January 5th.

Wade Crawford and Raymond Davis, both solution consultants for the company, will work out of Florence to help businesses reduce the cost of doing business and to streamline their operations.

So far, the company has signed up two businesses and is working on others, said Crawford, who previously worked in alcohol sales.

“It was time to find something else to do and these guys took a chance on me and flew me down to Dallas and it was a first-class organization,” Crawford said of his career change. “I’m working for some great people. It’s a new field, a lot to learn, which is daunting but it’s interesting.”

Talus has been around for about 15 years and was purchased by venture capitalists more than three years ago, said Robert M Faias, Regional Sales Leader for the company.

Talus assists businesses through card service solutions, data collection and organization and offers a program to eliminate card fees for merchants, said Faias.

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Slim Chickens Restaurant Coming to Florence

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Another chicken restaurant is coming to Florence.

QSR, a magazine serving the food-service industry, recently reported that uncle and nephew Larry and Jody Chandler would be bringing nine Slim Chickens restaurants to the Palmetto State including a location in Florence.

The Chandlers are franchisers of several Firehouse Subs locations in South Carolina and North Carolina.

The article does not list a Florence location for the restaurant or a timetable for construction and opening of it.

Slim Chickens was founded in 2003 in Fayetteville, Ark. It has around 150 locations in the United States with more locations in the United Kingdom and Kuwait. The restaurant specializes in various chicken items including wings, tenders, sandwiches and chicken and waffles.

Florence is home to several chicken restaurants including KFC, Zaxbys, Chick-fil-A, Maryland Fried Chicken, BTJ’s Wings, and Buffalo Wild Wings.

There is also a Wingstop to be located next to Five Guys at the Florence Mall.

To read the full article, click here.

Pee Dee Commerce City Industrial Park to Expand Across SC 327

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Development of the area around the intersection of I-95 and S.C. 327 continues to heat up.

Marlboro Development Team, the economic development arm of the jointly managed Marlboro and Pee Dee Electric Cooperatives, recently expanded the Pee Dee Commerce City industrial park west across S.C. 327 to include 174 additional acres. The development team is also expected to complete construction of a 117,180-square-foot class A industrial speculative development in the new part of the park by the fourth quarter of the year.

“Marlboro Development Team has a strategic development plan to construct new speculative product in targeted growing markets and Florence County certainly qualifies,” said William Fleming, President and CEO of Marlboro Development Team. “We focus on communities and willing partners that are fully vested in economic development and in the belief that these type investments result in better paying jobs and opportunities for their citizens.”

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MUSC Business Health presents Virtual Lunch & Learn: 2022: Smoke Free Is for You!

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Over 16 million Americans have at least one disease caused by smoking.  In South Carolina, approximately $1.9 billion was spent on healthcare costs due to smoking in 2009.  Approximately 21.1% of adults use cigarettes and 30.5% use e-cigarettes in Charleston County.  The Midlands and Pee Dee regions of South Carolina have some of the highest numbers of tobacco users.

The good news is that 7 out of 10 smokers want to quit smoking!  Please join our expert speakers, Stephanie Stansell, PhD, Emily Ware, PharmD, and Cassie Frazier, DNP, as they share information about the tobacco treatment program at MUSC and the MUSC Lung Cancer Screening Clinic.  This informative session will give tips and tools for being tobacco free in the new year.

The virtual lunch & learn will be held on January 12th from 12:00-1:00 PM

For more information, click here.

Young Professionals of Florence Kick Off 2022 with Networking Social

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Join the Young Professionals of Florence for their 2022 kick off social on Thursday, January 20th beginning at 5:30 PM at SPC Credit Union (1312 Celebration Blvd)! Come grab a snack and a drink and meet new people in the community! Special thanks to SPC for sponsoring us this month. Everyone is looking forward to a great event!

To view the Facebook event, click here.

Florence County Received Nearly $97.35 Million in New Investments

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As a 2021 year review, Florence County received nearly $97.35 million in new investments and 689 new jobs during the year.

Innovative Construction Group recently announced that it would establish a location at the Touchtone Energy Pee Dee Commerce Park that would result in a $35.6 million investment and 179 new jobs.

QVC has indicated it plans to invest $27.5 million and create 360 new jobs at its facility on TV Road.

Additionally, Pee Dee Electric Cooperative announced it would invest $13 million in Florence County to build a new headquarters and Santee Electric Cooperative is planning a $10 million expansion in lower and mid-Florence County.

And, Performance Food Service has indicated it would invest $11 million and create 150 new jobs in a Florence County expansion.

There could be more economic development ahead for the county. Projects Longshot and Star remain before the county council and the Buc-EEs project is scheduled to open during the first quarter of this year.

Pictured above is Innovative Construction located at 2570 Florence Harllee Boulevard in the Pee Dee Touchtone Energy Commerce City industrial park.

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