The Farm At Florence One Officially Opened With A Ribbon Cutting

The Florence One School District has been incorporating farm-to-school programs into its education for years, but on Thursday, the district began a new chapter in agriculture education.

The agricultural and culinary education center known as The Farm at Florence One officially opened with a ribbon cutting before the district’s Board of Trustees meeting.

The center has been a dream for farm-to-school coordinator Jeff Murrie, who spoke at the ribbon cutting and the board meeting about the farm.

“This site will be the catalyst to bring about many new opportunities to the students of Florence One Schools,” he said. “This truly has been a passion project and will be a legacy for all involved.”

Freedom Fest 2023 Downtown Darlington SC

Freedom Fest is scheduled for June 24, 2023. It will run from 4pm-9pm, located in Public Square in Darlington, SC. Vendors may begin arriving at 2pm until 3:30pm. Admission is free, amusement rides are free and the fireworks begin at 9pm.

Freedom Fest, a family-friendly celebration of Independence Day. Activities will include amusement rides, food & retail vendors, live entertainment and an amazing firework display. Come join the fun.

City Of Florence To Host “Unity With The Community” Event

Unity with the Community is an initiative designed to engage the community and strengthen the relationship between the community and law enforcement.  Join them on Saturday, June 3rd at Northwest Park from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. There will be one-on-one chats, crime prevention tips and the ability to ask questions and share your concerns.

For more information, click here.

SC Commission For Minority Affairs & U.S. Housing Urban Development To Host Housing And Rental Assistance Workshop

The South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs (CMA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development have partnered to host a free Homeowners and Rental Assistance Workshop on Tuesday, June 6, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The workshop will be held at the SiMT-Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology Building, 1951 Pisgah Road, Florence, SC 29501.

Attendees will hear from staff members of CMA, HUD, the South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority (SC Housing), the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA), the Eastern Carolina Housing Organization (ECHO), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission (SCHAC).

Space is limited, and registration is required.

For more information, click here.

SC Has More Revenue Than Expected

Last week, the South Carolina Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) met to provide an update on the state’s revenue collections and revise their existing economic forecasts. Notably, the BEA raised their FY2023 and FY2024 General Fund Revenue estimates by $564 million and $240 million respectively. The BEA cited continued wage growth and consumer spending as reasons for the increase in collections. They noted that although recent tax reform lowered income tax collections, sales and corporate income tax collections continue to exceed expectations. As pointed out in The State, this additional revenue will give lawmakers some unpredicted wiggle room to negotiate differences between the House and Senate’s FY2023-24 budget proposals. Lawmakers must allocate the revenue and finish the budget plan before the end of the state’s fiscal year (June 30, 2023).

Although the FY2024 estimate was increased by $240 million, the BEA expects an economic slowdown with slower income growth and less consumer spending in the next fiscal year. In the BEA’s May 9 press release, they said, “The BEA remains concerned about persistent inflation, the effects of Federal Reserve interest rate increases, issues within the banking industry, and international conflicts, all leading to deeper concerns about the potential for a recession within the next year.”

Cookin Out For The CARE House

Who’s Hungry? Join Raldex Hospitality on Wednesday, May 31st at “Cookin Out for the CARE House”! BBQ Plates are $10 each and include a BBQ Sandwich, wings, Cowboy Baked Beans and slaw. Contact Kirby Anderson at 843-687-8189 or via email at Kirby@Raldex.com to place your order today!

Drive-Thru Pick-Up & Delivery Options Available for Orders of 8 or more!

All proceeds support quality investigative, therapeutic and advocacy services for victims of abuse and neglect at the CARE House of the Pee Dee!

The Florence After 5 Season Kicks off May 26th

The Florence After 5 season kicks off in the 100 block of S. Dargan Street with Too Much Sylvia. On Friday, May 26th, the After 5 event starts at 5:30 p.m. and will run until 8:30 p.m. They will be handing out Florence After 5 magnets at the beer and ticket booths, so be sure to stop by and grab one so you know our band lineup for the season.

City of Florence To Host City-Wide Hiring Event

The City-Wide Hiring Event Thursday, May 25th, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pearl Moore Basketball Center – 500 Barnes Street, Florence, SC.

The City of Florence will be conducting on-site interviews and hiring for Utilities, Public Works, Recreation, Athletics, Administration, Fire, Police, and more!

Job benefits include State Health, Retirement, Wellness Clinic with Nurse Practitioner, paid holidays, uniforms, equipment, and more!

Buc-ee’s Plans To Expand Its Parking Lot

The Buc-ee’s in Florence is planning to expand its parking lot so customers can have an easier time finding parking spots.

The super-sized travel stop off of I-95 will celebrate its one-year anniversary Tuesday and needs more parking for its employees, according to Stan Beard. He is the Director of Real Estate for Buc-ee’s and led the Texas-based company’s expansion into South Carolina.

“Because we’re so busy, we have a greater number of employees in the store at any given time, therefore they’re taking up spaces that we historically have not thought we needed,” he said.

Buc-ee’s currently has 536 parking spots, and the expansion will bring 200 more, according to Beard.

To read the full story, click here.

Leigh Boulevard & Company Cuts Their Ribbon As The Newest Member Of The Florence Chamber

Leigh Boulevard & Company is a full-service Business Center exclusively designed for (but not limited to) Real Estate Professionals. Business owners can rent office suites, rooms for meetings, training, and/or workshops. We also offer shared office spaces, copy/fax/scan and notary services.

For a monthly fee, customers receive the use of an office (or offices) with necessary services such as phone, fax, internet/Wi-Fi, copier, and scanner. It is an ideal environment for any agent, lender, freelancer, or entrepreneur who needs professional workspace.

One of the biggest advantages of the Business Center is flexibility. Establishing your company in a Business Center means, above all, reducing expenses in contrast to renting an office by yourself. The Business Center has everything you need to run your business in the most efficient manner with no long-term commitment.

For more information, click here.