Archive for year: 2025

A landmark collaboration is set to redefine hospitality in Aiken, South Carolina. Co-developers and majority owners Raines and Vantage Realty Partners today announced plans to restore and re-imagine the historic Rose Hill Estate. The iconic downtown property, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, will be rehabilitated into a boutique hotel complete with a standout food and beverage program, private event spaces, and restored public gardens.

The project, slated to open in late 2027, brings together a powerhouse team of experts. Vantage Realty Partners first identified the site and its exciting potential. The company chose Raines as its hospitality partner to co-develop and operate the hotel upon opening. Verity Works, a historic preservation studio and co-owner of the estate, places the property’s historic character at the heart of the project, guiding a careful rehabilitation that honors its legacy and aligns with state and federal historic tax credit programs.

To read the full story, click here.

The South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM) Foundation has received $10,000 from First Citizens Bank to support GSSM’s GoSciTech summer camps. These hands-on STEM programs serve rising sixth through tenth grade students through residential, day, and virtual courses that explore a wide range of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology topics.

“We are thrilled to continue partnering with GSSM to provide resources that afford access to the best educational STEM camps for students throughout the state, regardless of circumstances and location,” Jammie McDonald, manager of Retail Banking at First Citizens Bank, said. “This ongoing partnership is a testament to our shared desire to equip young people with the skills to own their economic success and to help them discover what’s possible in their lives.”

Each summer, GoSciTech camps take place at 17 locations across South Carolina and serve more than 1,000 students. Courses are updated each year to reflect emerging technologies, student interests, and available funding from donors like First Citizens Bank.

To read the full story, click here.

Florence 1 School Board Members, community and business leaders cut the ribbon marking the official opening of the Poynor School of Innovation in Healthcare on Thursday, December 11th.

Pictured, left to right) Florence 1 Board Members Barry Townsend, Davy Gregg, Bryan Chapman and Trisha Caulder; State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver; McLeod Health CEO Donna Isgett; Poynor School of Innovation in Healthcare Director Nicole Scipio; Superintendent of Florence 1 Schools, Dr. Richard O’Malley; Florence 1 Board Chairman S. Porter Stewart; Florence 1 Board Members EJ McIver, Kimrey-Ann Haughn, Carla Eaddy, and Dr. Gloria Bracey; Florence Mayor Lethonia Barnes; City-Councilmen Chipper Smith and George Jebaily; and SC House Representative Member Terry Alexander.

To read the full story, click here.

On Tuesday, December 9th, the Florence Chambers’ Leadership Florence class held their ‘Ride A Mile’ session in partnership with PDRTA.

The Ride A Mile program is a simulated society experience in which participants face real-time life scenarios of different socio-economic levels. Participants spent the day navigating community resources using public transit, stepping outside their routines and into new perspectives. Through shared experiences, they saw that public transit is about more than getting from point A to point B, it is about access, opportunity and connection.

Thank you to PDRTA for continuing to accommodate this partnership. A special thank you to Mercy Medical Free Clinic, Lighthouse Ministries, Francis Marion University, and Florence Adult Education for welcoming the class and supporting this impactful experience.

To see more photos from the day, click here.

A few weeks ago, the state’s Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) met to review the state’s revenue collections and to issue the first revenue forecast for FY2026-27. Thanks to stronger-than-expected individual income tax and sales tax collections, state revenues are $244 million ahead of May projections.

As a result, the BEA estimated that General Fund revenues will total just over $15 billion for FY2026-27, giving lawmakers an additional $733.9 million in recurring revenue and $1.71 billion in non-recurring revenue to appropriate in this year’s budget process.

Governor Henry McMaster will utilize this estimate for his FY2026-27 Executive Budget, which will be released in early January. All state agencies recently submitted their FY2026-27 budget requests for consideration, which can be found here.