Three New Gas Stations Being Built in Florence

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Florence residents will soon have more choices to fill their vehicle tanks.

Three gas stations are under construction in Florence. An On The Go station is being constructed near the intersection of West Darlington and North Irby streets, a Fastrack is being constructed at the intersection of South Cashua Drive and Jefferson Drive and construction continues on the Buc-EEs off Interstate 95’s exit 170.

The Florence Design Review Board voted unanimously in December to approve a plan allowing for the construction of a gas station with seven pumps and a convenience store with access from both Darlington and Irby streets at 221 West Darlington St.

To read the full story, click here.

Job Openings Remain High in SC

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Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor released the December jobs report indicating continued strain on the labor market with a record level of 10.9 million job openings, up slightly from the previous month.  Meanwhile, the number of times workers quit fell to 4.3 million in December, from a record 4.5 million. Hiring slowed to 6.3 million, down from 6.6 million.

Of the country’s four regions, the South – including South Carolina – has the highest number of job openings at over 4 million. Industries facing the highest open job rates are hospitality, healthcare, and transportation.

In South Carolina, 103,000 jobs are currently available, with Charleston, Richland, and Greenville counties advertising for the most jobs as reported by SC Works.

To learn more, click here.

The Citizens Bank to Acquire Sandhills Bank

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Sandhills Bank will merge into The Citizens Bank, the banks’ holding companies announced Monday, January 31st.

Citizens Bancshares Corp. is the holding company for The Citizens Bank. Sandhills Holding Co. Inc. is the holding company for Sandhills Bank.

Sandhills Bank will merge into The Citizens Bank and Citizens Bancshares Corp. in an all-cash transaction. The combined company is expected to have more than $1 billion in total assets, including more than $500 million in total loans and nearly $900 million in total deposits as of Dec. 31. The transaction is expected to occur early in third quarter 2022. It is subject to regulatory approval and approval by Sandhills Holding Co. Inc. shareholders.

To read the full story, click here.

FDTC 5000 Building Walkway Construction Set to Launch in February

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Construction on Florence-Darlington Technical College’s (FDTC) 5000 Building walkway will get underway on Monday, February 7.

The highly anticipated construction project is expected to be completed by August 15, just prior to the Fall 2022 semester; however, the speed of the project will be largely dependent upon weather and other unforeseen factors. The walkway that leads from the upper parking lots and into the 2nd and 3rd floors of the 5000 Building has been inaccessible due to structural damage.

All offices in the 5000 Building will stay in-place throughout the duration of the construction project. The Student Life Department will hold its events in other various buildings on campus. Due to the construction, parking and access points to the 5000 Building will be modified.

2022 Outlook Luncheon

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The featured speaker for the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce annual Outlook Luncheon on Wednesday, March 16th will be S.C. Secretary of Commerce, Harry M. Lightsey, III.

The luncheon will be held at the Florence Center with the program beginning at noon.  Doors will open at 11:30 a.m.

The South Carolina Department of Commerce works with statewide partners, including our local economic development groups, to advance business services and create industry opportunities in the Pee Dee region and the state of South Carolina. Mr. Lightsey will talk about what the forecast is for our region and the state in the coming years.

The business luncheon will include the announcement of the Small Business Person of the Year, which is sponsored by Dedicated Community Bank, and the Public Servant of the Year, which is sponsored by Francis Marion University. The Chamber’s Ambassador of the Year will also be recognized.

Community and local business leaders are invited to attend. Make your reservations early since this program can sell out in advance of the event date. Tickets will not be sold the day of the program.

Tickets are $30 for chamber members, $40 for nonmembers and $450 for a reserved table of eight.

To register online, click here.

First Bank to Host Business After Hours

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The Florence Chamber invites you to join us for an after-hours event hosted by First Bank. Come out on Thursday, March 31st from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. located at 1270 W Evans St for great food, drinks, and networking. Be sure to bring lots of business cards!

To register online, click here.

2022 Winter Legislative Breakfast

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The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce’s Winter 2022 Chamber Legislative Breakfast will be held on Friday, February 25th.  Michael Callahan, President of Duke Energy, SC will be the keynote speaker at the event. Doors will open for the breakfast at 7:30am and the program will begin at 7:50am.  Individual tickets are $20 for members. Reserved tables of 8 are available for $180. This program is made possible by Duke Energy and Signature Wealth Strategies. Come join us and learn more about the future of energy in South Carolina.

The breakfast is open to the public. All those attending must register prior to the event. Room seating is limited. Attendees must wear face coverings.

To register online, click here.

Consistently HR LLC Holds Ribbon Cutting with Florence Chamber

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Consistently HR LLC celebrated joining the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon cutting on Thursday, January 20th  in the James Allen Plaza. Chamber staff and ambassadors joined owner DaShonda Foxworth in cutting the ribbon.

Consistently HR LLC provides human resource services for organizations and small businesses that can’t afford a full time HR department, Foxworth said.

To read the full story, click here.

Are You Ready to Start Your Own Business?

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In this economy, it’s more important than ever to plan for success.

Join this FREE Virtual Workshop presented by a certified SCORE mentor on Tuesday, January 25th at 12:00-1:00 p.m. It will cover all the important aspects you need to consider when planning to start a business and guide you through the process to help you decide if you’re ready.

Some of the topics covered:

  • Your personal traits
  • Testing the business concept
  • Developing a marketing and business plan
  • Financial considerations
  • Resources available to report your success

After registering below, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

https://score.tfaforms.net/17?EventID=a105a000005qamK

Young Professionals of Florence Kicked Off 2022 with a Networking Social

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YP had such a great time at their kickoff networking event at SPC Credit Union on Thursday, January 20th!!! Special thanks to SPC for hosting a wonderful event and to everyone who attended!