F1S Board Approves North Vista Elementary School Construction

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Students could be attending a new North Vista Elementary School in two years.

The Florence 1 Schools Board of Trustees unanimously approved construction of the new elementary school at its Thursday, September 8th meeting at the McClenaghan Adminstrative Building, 500 S. Dargan St.  In February, the Board of Trustees  selected Jumper Carter Sease Architects of West Columbia to design the school and Thompson-Turner Construction as the construction management firm.

Demolition of the old Wilson High School should be completed soon, Superintendent Richard O’Malley. North Vista Elementary School will be built on that site. Plans call for the current North Vista Elementary School to be converted to a middle school at some point.

Athletic facilities and an aquatic center also could be built on the site, but construction for those facilities will be a separate project, Superintendent Richard O’Malley said.

To read the full article, click here.

Benedict College Women’s Business Center To Hosts Workshops

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Benedict College Women’s Business Center has a wonderful opportunity for artists, performers, and creators who are looking to start, grow and/or scale their business in today’s competitive market.

Dedicated to serving women-owned businesses and minorities throughout the state of South Carolina, our Creative Entrepreneur Initiative entails a multi-week program consisting of interactive workshops facilitated by a business expert and supplemented by group-level consultation provided by BC WBC business advisors.

Program participants will meet virtually, beginning September 27, for 6 weekly sessions. The cost to register is $30 per person, which amounts to $5 per session. This opportunity and price are one you cannot beat.

To learn more about our Creative Entrepreneurship Initiative, click on the link here.

Leadership Florence Holds Retreat in Myrtle Beach

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The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce kicked off the Leadership Florence Class of 2023 Retreat on Sept. 12th at the Avista Resort in North Myrtle Beach.

Gina Trimarco of Pivot10 Results facilitated a wide-ranging discussion of leadership principles and strategies on Monday, followed by a dinner and a reception.

On Tuesday September 13th, the class participated in a scavenger hunt/team building exercise at Wonderworks in Myrtle Beach.

To see additional photos from the retreat, click here.

Tangled Salon and Company Opens Up on Second Loop Road

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Tangled Salon and Company held a ribbon cutting Monday, September 12th to celebrate joining the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

Owners Brittney Wise and Kelsey Hicks were joined by Chamber staff and ambassadors for the ribbon cutting. Tangled Salon and Company is located at 2626 Second Loop Road.

The hair salon specializes in all hair services including waxing.

They offer hair accessories, hair products, some boutique items and Botox services.

Tangled Salon and Company opened Aug. 10. There are four on staff.

To read the full story, click here.

Florence Sports Complex Update

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The images shown are of the Florence Sports Complex with turf installation complete on four (4) youth baseball fields and track facility as well as two (2) additional youth ballfields under construction.

The track surfacing material is to be installed beginning September 12, 2022 and construction for the Sports Complex is estimated to be fully complete by November 2022.

Additional Sections of I-95 May Be Widened In South Carolina

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Currently, Florence has the only 6 lane parts of I-95 in the state. But that may change since the South Carolina Department of Transportation is seeking public opinions on proposed improvements to Interstate 95.

SCDOT will hold an in-person and virtual public meeting on September 15 for the public to give their comments on the I-95 widening project. Officials are planning to widen the interstate between the Savannah River to US-278.

In addition, the widening includes improvements to capacity, mobility, and operations along the corridor and addressing inadequacies on interchanges and bridges.

For more information, click here.

Vote CARE House of the Pee Dee for Chick-fil-A’s True Inspiration Awards

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CARE House of the Pee Dee is in the running for the Atlantic Regional Winner of Chick-fil-A’s True Inspiration Awards. Nominated by the Chick-fil-A West Florence store, the local Children’s Advocacy Center is one of forty-six award winners across the United States and Canada vying to be selected. Grants range from $30,000 to $350,000 and individuals have the opportunity to tip the scales in favor of CARE House by voting through the Chick-fil-A App September 1-24, 2022.

MUSC Health Presents Wellness Wednesday

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When you lead a busy lifestyle, it can be difficult to make healthy eating choices. Over the past several decades, Americans have grown to rely on the convenience of foods prepared outside of the home. Eating food prepared outside of the home environment on a frequent basis has been associated with weight gain and obesity. Evidence has shown that meals away from home tend to be higher in energy density, fat, and sodium, but lower in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protective nutrients such as dietary fibers and antioxidants. Dining out is also 3-4 times more expensive than home cooking.

Healthy meals on the go don’t just happen, you have to make them happen. Join us to learn more about how to prioritize, plan, and prepare your way to a healthy lifestyle. Learn how to build healthy meals and snacks, how to interpret the USDA’s new food label, and secrets to making smarter choices when dining away from home.

Join them for a Virtual Lunch & Learn on Wednesday, September 14th at 12:00 Noon.

For more information, click here.

Pilot Travel Center Celebrates Remodeling with Ribbon Cutting

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Pilot Travel Center in Florence has undergone a complete renovation just in time for Labor Day weekend. The store is off I-95 on North Williston Road.

The event was celebrated with a ribbon cutting with the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce and its ambassadors on Friday, September 2nd. The Pilot Company also presented a $20,000 check to Florence 1 School District for its video game design course and robotics program.

Chris Rogers and Greg Hall were on hand to accept the ceremonial check during the ribbon cutting for the school district. Rogers is director of STEM education for Florence 1 Schools. Hall is assistant superintendent of Florence 1 Schools.

Rogers said the contribution from Pilot Company will help with the robotics program at Williams Middle School, providing robotics kits. Some of the funding will be used to start a new video design course in the high schools, he said.

To read the full story, click here.

Donnie’s Clearing and Grading Company Joins Florence Chamber

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A ribbon cutting was held in the James Allen Plaza Dargan Street to celebrate Donnie’s Clearing and Grading Company joining the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

Donnie Fulton is owner, and he cut the ribbon on Thursday, September 1st while he was joined by family, friends, chamber staff and ambassadors.

Fulton has been in this type of business for more than 20 years. He primarily clears trees for housing developments and other businesses. He is based in Florence but works mainly in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area.

Fulton works alone but is hoping to grow his business in the Florence area and hire more employees.

Fulton was in the construction business when he decided he wanted to go into business for himself. Fulton said he was tired of 12-hour shifts and wanted to be able to spend more time with his six children.

To read the full story, click here.