SC Chamber Joins Comments Opposing Proposed Overtime Rule

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Last week, the South Carolina Chamber joined the Partnership to Protect Workplace Opportunity (PPWO) and over 240 national, state, and local business associations in filing comments opposing the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposed overtime rule, and requested that the rule be withdrawn.

The proposed rule would extend overtime pay to salaried workers earning less than $55,000 a year and automatically update the salary threshold for overtime eligibility every three years to “reflect current earnings data”.

The PPWO estimates that nearly 7.2 million workers could be impacted by the proposed rule if adopted. Additionally, PPWO estimates DOL could issue the final rule as early as March 1, 2024, requiring employers to implement the changes as early as May 1, 2024. Click below for more information.

To read the full story, click here.

RIA Awards Construction Grants In SC To Upgrade Critical Infrastructure

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The SC Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) continues its mission of providing grants to address some of the state’s most pressing infrastructure needs related to public health and the environment while building capacity for economic opportunities. Last week, the RIA approved state grant assistance for 30 projects, totaling more than $18 million. These projects will benefit communities in 21 counties across the state.

The City of Florence will be awarded $1,000,000. Most of the grants will fund capital improvements, including extension of water lines to serve new customers in a disadvantaged community, construction of new wells to increase water production, replacement of sewer lines to reduce infiltration and inflow as well as upgrades to treatment plants. Other projects are designed to facilitate economic opportunities and promote job creation. Combined, these projects will benefit more than 63,000 customers in 14 counties.

A list of grant recipients for the first round of competitive grants for fiscal year 2024 can be found by clicking here.

Harvest Hope Cuts Ribbon On New Location

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Harvest Hope CEO Erinn Rowe, along with Jada Willis Board Chair, other executives, board members and Chamber Ambassadors cut the ribbon officially opening their new location at 2701 Alex Lee Blvd.

The ribbon cutting kicked off Harvest Hope’s Grand Opening which was supported by Agency Testimonials from Teresa Mason – Johnson Foundation, Capt. Tim Scott – Salvation Army, Local and State dignitaries Mayor Teresa Ervin and State Representative Terry Alexander. A donation was presented to Harvest Hope by Mindy Taylor of Duke Energy.

Harvest Hope is South Carolinas largest food band and provides over 20 million meals across their service area each year. They rescue, pack, transport, and deliver nutritious food to soup kitchens, shelters, food pantries, and schools in twenty counties in South Carolina.

To read the full story, click here.

HopeHealth Diabetes Institute To Host “Rethink Your Drink” Event

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Sugary drinks are the leading source of added sugars in the American diet. Have you ever wondered how much sugar is in your morning latte or afternoon soda? Join the Diabetes Institute at HopeHealth to Rethink Your Drink!

Attend this free event, open to the public. You will meet Diabetes Institute providers and learn important tips for reducing your sugar intake. The first 30 attendees to sign up can receive free A1C testing (only for attendees without a diabetes diagnosis).

The event will be held on Wednesday, November 15 from 4-6 pm at the HopeHealth Medical Plaza (360 N. Irby St., Florence) in the Magnolia Room.  For more information and to register for the event, call (843) 432-3717.

TLC Your Way Home Care Services, Inc. Holds Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

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TLC Your Way Care Services Caring Founder Natalia K. Samuels, RN along with her husband, staff and Chamber Ambassadors assist in welcoming TLC to the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

TLC Your Way Home Care Services, Inc. is a non-medical home care service that’s dedicated to aiding with homebound individuals and those dealing with Alzheimer’s or dementia, as well as those who just need a helping hand with the activities of daily living. All caregivers are highly skilled with CPR certification and supervised by an RN.

To read the full story, click here.

New Florence Facility Will Be A Joint Effort In Addressing Area’s Behavioral Health Crisis

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MUSC Health, HopeHealth and McLeod Health are working together to bring a $100 million behavioral health facility to Florence in 2025, MUSC CEO Jay Hinesley said Nov. 3 at the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce’s health care breakfast.

The behavioral health care center was announced in June as part of the state’s initiative to address the mental health crisis in South Carolina. The Florence facility will have 63 psychiatric beds plus outpatient and telepsychiatry services, as well as a rapid access center for walk-in assessments.

MUSC, HopeHealth and McLeod Regional Medical Center are working together on the project. The state of South Carolina and city of Florence are helping fund the project.

To read the full story, click here.

Duke Employees Volunteer To Stuff Help 4 Kids Food Bags

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Duke Energy employees Wednesday gathered at Help 4 Kids in Florence to pack 600 food bags and drop off a $10,000 donation to the organization which help to ensure children have enough food to get them through the weekend — between school meals.

“Duke Energy has a month-long focus on feeding program’s. We wanted to highlight the feeding needs across the state of South Carolina,” said Mindy Taylor, director of government and community relations for the utility.

The Duke Energy squad, following a safety briefing, arranged themselves along three production lines and started filling bags, then cases and then pallets.

Several Duke employees were corralled to work pre-production tasks — like making sure there were tubs or pudding and Vienna sausages for the assembly process.

To read the full story, click here.

AI Workshop Series

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Join the FMU Kelley Center for Economic Development for their upcoming workshop series: AI for Small Business. The first two sessions will be held virtually on the first two Tuesdays in November and the final session will be a hands-on workshop on the last Tuesday of November. The fee to register is $35 per session and all registered attendees will receive a recording of the session and any presentation materials.

Artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbots like ChatGPT have taken the world by storm. With over 100 million users in less than two months, it is the fastest-growing computer application to hit the world, EVER! It continues to grow exponentially not only in the number of users but in its power and flexibility. In these sessions, we will share with you some background information to understand this amazing tool while also sharing insights about applying its power directly in your small business. We will discover the opportunities and limitations of this life-changing resource as we “go live” in asking questions (prompting) and getting answers that could help us all be better at what we do. Join us to discover what ChatGPT can do for you, your organizations, and the customers you serve.

For more information, click here.

Florence’s Ruiz Foods Opens On-site Health Care Center

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Employees and family members of Ruiz Foods in Florence will have a much easier time taking care of their health care needs beginning this week.

Officials with the frozen foods manufacturing plant Thursday joined with Florence and state officials to hold a ribbon-cutting celebration for the plant’s new on-site health care center. The clinic will officially opened its doors to the plant’s 1,200 employees and their family members Monday.

“We couldn’t be more excited,” Kim Ruiz Beck, chairwoman of the Ruiz Foods board of directors and daughter of the co-founder of the company, Fred Ruiz. “We will be able to provide on-site health care for our team members and their families here in Florence. We just want our team members to know we are here to help them stay healthy, keep their families healthy, and help them prioritize their time with their loved ones.”

The 2-000 square-foot center will provide insured employees and covered family members with primary and acute care. It will also have a pharmacy to provide certain medications. She said there will be no co-pays or costs for services.

To read the full story, click here.

Florence Co. Junior Leadership Class Enjoys Healthcare Day

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Last Thursday, McLeod Regional Medical Center hosted Junior Leadership Florence County as part of their Healthcare Day sessions throughout the county. Twenty-eight students toured the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Operating Rooms and Air Reach helicopter.

Junior Leadership Florence County is a ten-month program in which area high school sophomores and juniors are empowered to become trustees of the Florence County community. Throughout the program, students learn a variety of valuable leadership skills including time management, community issue awareness, and business ethics. The program also provides training in the area of personal development, skills training, volunteering opportunities and team building. Junior Leadership Florence County is presented by the Florence County Extension Service/4-H Youth Development, The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce and Francis Marion University with the support from local businesses to provide professional personnel, facilities, and other aspects of the sessions throughout the school year.