Florence may get downtown shuttle service

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Photo/Article Credit: Joe Perry, The Morning News

“FLORENCE, S.C. – A new evening shuttle service connecting visitors staying in the town’s main hotel hub to downtown entertainment and restaurants is in the works.

Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority executive director Chuck MacNeil told board members Thursday evening during their monthly meeting that the authority has been awarded $32,000 from the city’s Accommodations Tax Fund to advance a project he proposed. In the interest of promoting tourism, MacNeil said, the idea is to transport folks from the hotels along Hospitality Boulevard to Florence Mall and new restaurants downtown as well stops like the Performing Arts Center and Florence Little Theatre. A trolley could do so four nights a week, he said, but the total amount needed would be $80,000.

“So how do you bridge the gap?” he asked. “I’m working on it.”

Downtown business owners have shown interest, he said, and he’s encouraged by the responses he’s gotten. He also wants to apply for federal funds to cover the shortfall. Board member Carolyn Gause asked which days the service would run and MacNeil said likely Thursday to Sunday. Some restaurant owners, however, suggested early in the week when they’re slower and more business travelers are in town, he said.

“Therefore I’m not sure when or how many evenings it would run,” he said, and it largely depends on “how much funds are assembled.” The project would be “a great new perspective” for the city to see what the transportation authority is capable of doing, he said, in moving Florence forward. Board member Nancy Finklea asked about whether the days would vary based on events such as the Southern 500 being in town and MacNeil said it could vary, but they might want to consider staying on a consistent schedule so folks know what to expect.

In reviewing the authority’s finances, MacNeil said there were no issues “of great concern,” and “it’s all pretty straightforward,” as revenues were above budget while expenses were slightly higher than expected for November. (The board did not have a meeting in December.) For November of 2016, year to date there was a surplus of $118,000, he said, but he expects it to “swing the other way” the next few months.

Gause asked about variances and MacNeil said some line items reflected a reimbursement that had yet to be received. Printing and advertising spiked, he said, as the authority printed a new downtown shuttle service schedule and changed the Darlington bus schedule.

“We have to educate the public and spread the word,” he said. “And there’s a price tag for that.”

 

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Ribbon Cutting: First Presbyterian Church & Child Development Center

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First Presbyterian Church and the Child Development Center located at 700 Park Avenue recently joined the Florence Chamber of Commerce. The Child Development Center recently opened its doors in the fall of 2016. It provides a safe Christian environment for young children to grow and develop. Parents can leave their children knowing that they will be well taken care of in their absence utilizing hands-on activities and experiences. Children from 6 weeks to 4 years old are welcome. To contact First Presbyterian call (843) 662-2583.

Mi Tierra San Jose opens in new location on Celebration Boulevard

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“FLORENCE, S.C. – Mi Tierra San Jose Mexican restaurant has a new home in the new year.

Tuesday was the first “official” day open in a new Celebration Boulevard building, said general manager Jose Perez Jr., just after the restaurant staff cut a ceremonial ribbon with the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

“We needed to change a little,” he said. It was October 2005 when Jose Perez Sr. opened a 5,000-square-foot location on the corner of Celebration Boulevard and West Palmetto Street, and 11 years later, the new 6,400-square-foot building boasts a private room for parties and ample outside seating on a covered patio.

“Time flies,” Jose Perez Jr. said.

“It feels good,” said his sister, Brenda Perez, the restaurant’s assistant manager. “It’s amazing.”

Patrons can expect the same popular Happy Hour specials and the same speedy and attentive service, she said.

“We’re fast,” Perez Jr said. They pride themselves on getting the professional lunch crowd fed efficiently. “We get ‘em in and get ‘em out quick.”

 His sister said their success can be attributed to good food, good service and the fact they want to treat customers like family.

“It’s basically the same menu – we’ve added a few new items and look forward to seeing everyone at our new location,” Perez said.

Mi Tierra San Jose is at 1280 Celebration Boulevard and is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, call 843-629-9903.”

SCNow Web Article – Mi Tierra San Jose opens in new location on Celebration Boulevard

City of Florence provides and update on hurricane clean up.

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The City of Florence is announcing the plan of action for the next phase of the clean up of our city from
the impact of Hurricane Matthew. “Our top priority is to ensure that the needs of our residents and businesses are being addressed timely. It is also important for our residents to know what the City can and cannot assist them with. We hope that the next phase of our disaster relief plan will provide clarification and much needed resources to the people of Florence,” stated Drew Griffin, Florence City Manager.

For information on the next phase of the clean up click here.

S.C.-based Sonoco hopes clear cans are the future of food

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Article/Picture Credit: Thad Moore, The Post and Courier

The hot new thing in canned food sits halfway down an aisle at Harris Teeter, flanked by aluminum tins splashed with pictures that show vegetables at their peak. Their wrappers show beans of all sorts neatly piled, piping hot and glistening just so, many set against a backdrop of rolling farmland.

The newcomer cuts the pretense: It’s see-through and plastic, a clear plastic tube with metal ends. You can see the pinto beans jiggle inside when they’re jostled.

It’s just beans and broth, but if one of South Carolina’s biggest companies has its way, that might be enough to breathe new life into the faltering business of marketing and selling canned food.

McCall Farms is using Sonoco’s clear cans at its Florence operation (above). Provided/McCall Farms

Americans, it turns out, aren’t all that interested in eating food out of cans these days. Buying fresh is in vogue, so when shoppers walk into the supermarket, they’re increasingly wandering past the produce section, the butcher or the bakery, not the aisles of shelf-stable packages in the middle.

Sonoco wants to change their minds. The Hartsville-based packaging giant thinks a clear can might make consumers rethink packaged food. If they can see the green beans or the peaches inside, the company figures, maybe they’ll seem fresher.

“We’re never going to be as fresh as fresh, but (we want to) have some level of fresh in the center,” said Melissa Lewis, who’s heading up marketing for Sonoco’s new cans

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BUSINESS YEAR IN REVIEW: Success includes downtown development, plant expansions

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Article/Picture Credit: Joe Perry, Morning News

Third in a series

FLORENCE, S.C. – In the world of business and industry, the biggest wave was felt late this year when Patheon announced it would take over Roche Carolina Inc.’s Florence facility with plans already in place to expand the 300,000-square-foot site.

As Honda and McCall Farms announced plans for expansions, as the retail sector and hospitality industry saw steady growth and as downtown continued to transform, there was still an outlier to all the positive developments: What would happen to Roche Carolina after company officials announced last fall that its Florence operation and three sister sites in Europe were up for sale?

The thorn in the side of 2016’s otherwise stellar successes was plucked by Patheon, which announced in late November that it will take over Roche in Florence, keep 200 jobs and expand its ability to manufacture API, or active pharmaceutical ingredients. An 80,000-square-foot pilot plant also will be brought back to life as Patheon looks to fully realize its Florence investment.

Joe W. King certainly thinks 2016 was a good year. As the executive director of Florence County Progress, he said he doesn’t want to view one aspect of the always in flux world of economic development – Patheon coming to town – as the “highlight” of the year, though he’s quick to acknowledge “it’s big news.”

“And I think Patheon is a good corporate citizen and will bring international attention to Florence,” he said, “which is a great thing.”

Without Patheon stepping in, it was likely Roche’s plant would have been mothballed, he said.

In his line of work, King is careful to give plenty of attention to existing industry and sees a trio of big announcements on the horizon – one probably by the end of the first quarter and the other two in the second quarter of 2017.

“I think ’16 was good and I think ’17 will be as good,” he said, based on “what we have in the pipeline, the inquiries we’re getting.”

With pent-up demand and a pending change in leadership in our nation’s capital, King thinks conditions are ripe for economic growth.

“You’re going to see things happen,” he said.

Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce President Mike Miller sees the continued expansion of the hospitality industry and views Patheon’s deal with Roche as “more of a comforting thing.”

“It could’ve been bad news,” he said.”

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SCNow Web Artcle – BUSINESS YEAR IN REVIEW: Success includes downtown development, plant expansions

Icing Ink joins the Florence Chamber

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Icing Ink recently joined the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce and celebrated with a ribbon cutting on Tuesday, December 6th at their location on 3360 W. Palmetto. Icing Ink owned and operated by Rebekah Osman is not just a cake shop. Opened initially an upscale Cake shop, Icing Ink has expanded their offerings of the last two years to include cupcakes, pastries and the like. The also offer gluten free and no sugar baked goods as well. This small shop decorated in lively colors provides great offerings. So if you are in the mood for a treat go visit Icing Ink.

Locked Inn hosts ribbon cutting after joining Florence Chamber

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Article/Photo Credit: Joe Perry, The Morning News

“FLORENCE, S.C. – Locked Inn hosted a ribbon cutting Thursday after recently joining the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

A live adventure escape room experience like nothing else in the Pee Dee, Locked Inn is inside the Gould Business Incubator on the campus of Florence-Darlington Technical College and opened its doors in July. Lakewood Lodge was the first room and participants had to figure out how to escape from a cabin occupied by a serial killer set to return in one hour.

Players sift through clues and solve puzzles to get out, and the same format is in place for Submerged. The second room at Locked Inn puts you inside a submarine that has sunk to the sea floor and holds an hour’s worth of air.

Owned by Maureen Allen and her brother Gavin Smith, Locked Inn has proven popular with couples, groups of friends, and quite a few corporate entities.

“It’s amazing, how well it’s going,” Smith said. “And now that corporate has found out about us, they’re using this for team-building exercises.”

Allen said running Locked Inn has been “a roller coaster” that’s “really fun but really challenging.”

Submerged opened a few weeks ago, and Smith joked that he found it “way more daunting” to get it ready than he’d originally envisioned, but now that that task has been completed, he and his sister look forward to getting the word out. Lakewood Lodge will see a change in its format in a few months.

“But we want to get all we can out of it before we change it up,” he said.

Locked Inn is inside the Gould Business Incubator on the campus of Florence-Darlington Technical College, 1951 Pisgah Road, next to the Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology. For more information, check out lockedinnsc.com or call 843-413-3216.

SCNow.com Web Article – Locked Inn hosts ribbon cutting after joining Florence Chamber

Street Pianos Return to Florence for 3rd Year

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On April 21, Play Me I’m Yours will return and remain until May 7, 2017. Pianos will be located throughout Florence and Lake City, available for the public to play and enjoy. The Street Pianos will be personalized and decorated by local artists. Florence is the only location in the Southeast USA this event will take place.

Florence organizers are currently seeking artists to decorate pianos for 2017. Artists interested are encouraged to send a short indication of interest to rmalfatti@sc.rr.com. Painting and decorating will begin in late February and continue through the 1st week of April. Prizes will be awarded for the Most Creative and People’s Choice designs.

In 2017 the event will again feature noon concerts on various instruments by local pianists. A large-scale inflatable sculpture, The Janis Project of artist Frank Hyder, will appear throughout the Florence and Lake City. Hyder’s works have appeared at the Carnegie Museum, CA; LaSalle Museum, PA; National Museum of Catholic Art and History, NYC; Museo Jocobo Borges, Caracas; Art Museum of Coro and many others throughout the world.

An opening night festival will be held April 21 in the Willcox Plaza on W Evans St. The event will include a dueling pianist team and a “Paint a Piano” tent for young artists.

Touring internationally since 2008, Play Me, I’m Yours is an artwork by British artist Luke Jerram. Reaching over six million people worldwide – more than 1,300 pianos have already been installed in 45 cities across the globe, from New York to London, bearing the simple instruction ‘Play Me, I’m Yours’.

Disrupting peoples’ negotiation of their city, Street Pianos are “designed to provoke people into engaging, activating and claiming ownership of their urban landscape”, says one of the organizers, Reynolds Williams. Like a musical equivalent of Facebook, it provides an” interconnected resource for the public to express themselves, meet new friends, and build upon the community.”

The Founding Sponsors include King Cadillac Buick & GMC, the Drs. Bruce & Lee Foundation, and the Willcox, Buyck & Williams Foundation. Visit www.streetpianosflorence.com for more information about the project.

This project is made possible through funding from the Florence Regional Arts Alliance’s Quarterly Grants Program, which is funded in part by a generous award from Honda of South Carolina, the South Carolina Arts Commission and the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of SC.