The Law Office of D. Craig Brown Holds Ribbon Cutting

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Craig Brown along with family, staff and Chamber Ambassadors cuts his ribbon thus joining the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

Craig Brown practiced law in Florence from 1998-2010 primarily focusing on personal injury litigation and criminal defense (state and federal). In February 2010, Craig Brown was elected as a South Carolina Circuit Court Judge where he served in this capacity until June 2023. After serving as a Circuit Court Judge for over thirteen years, Craig Brown transitioned back into the private practice of law where he believes that he can better serve the citizens of this community and the State of South Carolina.

To read the full story, click here.

Leadership Florence Class of 2022 – 2023 Make Check Presentations To Non-Profits

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On Thursday, November 2nd, The Leadership Florence Class of 2023 presented checks to four organizations: American Cancer Society, CAREHouse, House of Hope, Lighthouse Ministries and Jr. Leadership Florence.

The checks were the proceeds from the 2nd Annual Kickball for A Cause tournament held by the class earlier this year.

To see photos of the presentations, click here.

The American Heart Association Thanks You

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The 2023 Pee Dee Heart Walk was amazing! Thank you to everyone who participated. More than $223k has been raised so far to help save lives. There is still time to show your support. Learn more online at www.PeeDeeHeartWalk.org.

Florence Christmas Parade Set For December 16th

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This year’s Christmas parade is scheduled for Saturday, December 16 at 11:00 AM.  The theme this year is the Magic of Christmas.  The parade will start on Evans Street (Old Winn-Dixie Parking Lot) and end at the Business Technological Center (BTC) Building.  If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Linda Becote at 843-621-0001 or Mrs. Courtney Allison at 843-617-9464.

Click here for more information.

Florence County Considers $50 Million Bond For County-Wide Improvements

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Florence County is considering taking out a $50 million bond to do a variety of projects from rural infrastructure improvements to land conservation.

The bond ordinance passed its second reading by a unanimous vote of the Florence County Council on Oct. 19 and will be up for final approval at the council’s next meeting on Nov. 16. It will be paid using leftover money from the most recent one cent capital project sales tax, which was approved by voters in November 2020.

County Administrator Kevin Yokim said on Oct. 26 that the county has not yet identified specific projects to use the $50 million on but that any project that uses the money will itself need to go before county council for approval.

To read the full story, click here.

Governor’s Schools to Host Joint Information Session at FMU

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The Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM), Governor’s School for Agriculture at John de la Howe (JDLH), and Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities (SCGSAH) are hosting Endless Opportunities, a joint information session for prospective students and their families on Thursday, November 16 at 7 p.m. on the Francis Marion University campus in the Chapman Auditorium, located in the Robert E. McNair Science Building.

As public, residential high schools, South Carolina’s Governor’s Schools serve students interested in pursuing advanced studies in STEM disciplines, agribusiness and the arts. Tuition is free (although fees for meals and boarding may apply), and any student in the state can apply to attend based on grade level.

Endless Opportunities is designed for students and parents who are interested in learning more about the schools’ residential high school programs. These informative, one-hour sessions will feature presentations by each school and a Q&A with school representatives.

Sessions are offered on the same day and time at locations in Columbia, North Charleston, Orangeburg and Rock Hill. Interested individuals can learn more and register to attend at EndlessOpportunitiesSC.com.

Tubb’s Annual Thanksgiving Eve Oyster Roast 2023

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Join Tubb’s for their annual Thanksgiving Eve Oyster Roast for all-you-can-eat oysters, bar specials, BBQ, live music, and more!  The event takes place on Wednesday, November 22 from 6:00 – 9:00 pm at the Tubb’s location.

For more information, click here.

HopeHealth’s Cheer Baskets For Seniors Initiative

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HopeHealth is thrilled to announce the launch of our Cheer Baskets for Seniors with Hope initiative. Seniors with Hope is a free program for the community which began six years ago by HopeHealth to address the health and quality-of-life concerns for the senior population. The program is held three times a month at different HopeHealth locations. Seniors hear from two speakers, ask questions, enjoy snacks and receive informational material.

Our seniors experience a lot of loneliness and financial challenges which can intensify during the holiday season. With the support of businesses, churches, and individuals, we aim to brighten the holiday season for Seniors with Hope attendees. During the first year of COVID, HopeHealth sent the seniors a Christmas gift. They were so elated. Some had not received a Christmas gift in years.

Donations can be dropped off at HopeHealth on Celebration (1362 Celebration Blvd., Florence) or arrangements can be made for items to be picked up. Please fill out the commit to give form and return to didavis@hop e-health .org by November 15 so we know how to prepare. Donations are needed by November 28, and gifts will be distributed at December’s Seniors with Hope.

For more information, click here.

New FMU Program Will Provide Free Tuition To Pell Grant Or First-Generation Students

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Francis Marion University is offering to pay tuition costs for first-generation and fully eligible Pell Grant students for their freshman year.

The university announced its Premier Pledge scholarship program Oct. 30. The initiative underscores Francis Marion University’s commitment to affordable and accessible education, University President Fred Carter said.

“No other university in the state works harder at educating first-generation college students than we do, and no other university is as accomplished at providing a quality education at an affordable cost,” Carter said. “Everyone on this campus — at every level — works hard to accomplish this every single day.”

Francis Marion’s enrollment is approximately 4,100 students. About 60 percent are first-generation or Pell Grant students. The 2023-24 freshman class is comprised of 750 first-year students, and about 40 percent are first-generation students.

To read the full story, click here.

American Airlines To Offer Rewarding Program For Businesses And Their Travelers

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Since American Airlines offers service to and from Florence Regional Airport, our local businesses may be interested in American’s business reward loyalty program. AAdvantage Business is a simple, convenient loyalty program for businesses of at least five employees, without any minimum spending requirement for the company to start earning miles. The program rewards both eligible companies and their travelers with AAdvantage miles and additional Loyalty Points for booking business travel on aa.com or on the American Airlines app.

In addition to rewarding companies and those flying for business, AAdvantage Business gives travel managers and their travelers the ability to conveniently track business trips all in one portal and switch between business and personal travel with ease when booking. For more information, please click here.