The Emerging Leaders Summer Institute recently kicked off with an orientation at the Florence Chamber.  The program is designed to generate professional training and development, mentorship, community engagement and recruitment opportunities. The purpose is to identify, develop and empower “Emerging Leaders”, specifically minorities, small business owners and innovative professionals poised to move into the next level of community and business leadership.
Stay tuned for updates on this exciting Chamber program as it continues over the next couple of months! You can also find more information on the program by visiting the FB event page below:
https://www.facebook.com/events/566710166835615/

(Special thanks to Toyinda L. Smith for the images from the most recent event)

The new (Fair Labor Standards Act) overtime rule could impact you personally, or could impact your overall finances and employees if you’re a business owner. So what exactly will the new rule mean, who qualifies for the changes and how will it impact your business? Join the Florence Chamber and the Young Professionals of Florence for a Lunch & Learn Program that will provide you with some of the answers.

The program will take place on Wednesday, July 20th from 12-1:30 pm in the Stukes Meeting Room of the Florence County Library and will feature presentations and Q&A with a variety of speakers on the new Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA.) Lunch will also be included.
The cost to attend is $15 for Chamber and YP members, $20 for non-members and $15 for non-profit employees.

To register or for more information, click on the link below or call the Chamber at (843) 665-0515.

https://florencesccoc.wliinc14.com/external/wcpages/wcevents/eventregistration.aspx?eventID=2A600V

More information on the FLSA:

The Overtime Rule
In 2014, President Obama directed the Secretary of Labor to update the overtime regulations to reflect the original intent of the Fair Labor Standards Act and to simplify and modernize the rules so they’re easier for workers and businesses to understand and apply. The department has issued a final rule that will put more money in the pockets of middle class workers – or give them more free time.
The final rule will:
Raise the salary threshold indicating eligibility from $455/week to $913 ($47,476 per year), ensuring protections to 4.2 million workers.
Automatically update the salary threshold every three years, based on wage growth over time, increasing predictability.
Strengthen overtime protections for salaried workers already entitled to overtime.
Provide greater clarity for workers and employers.
The final rule will become effective on December 1, 2016, giving employers more than six months to prepare. The final rule does not make any changes to the duties test for executive, administrative and professional employees.

Tuesday is primary day across South Carolina.

In the Pee Dee, several contests will be decided today, while others will have candidates win a spot on a November ballot.

Make sure your voter registration is current by checking your registration information at scVOTES.org.

Make sure you have one of the following Photo IDs: SC Driver’s License, SC DMV ID Card, SC Voter Registration Card w/Photo, Federal Military ID or US Passport.

If you do not have one of the Photo IDs, make your voting experience as fast and easy as possible by getting a free one from DMV or your county elections office, available even on election day.

If you forget to bring your Photo ID to the polling place, you can vote a provisional ballot that will count only if you show your Photo ID to the county elections office prior to the certification of the election (on Thursday after the Statewide Primaries).

To view SCnow.com’s Election coverage, click below:

SCnow.com web article- 2016 Election Coverage

For a link to polling locations in Florence County, click below:

Florence County Polling Locations

The Democratic and Republican primaries will take place on Tuesday, but election offices have already been busy with early voters. If you plan on voting, make sure you have one of the following Photo IDs:
• S.C. Driver’s License
• ID Card issued by S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles
• S.C. Voter Registration Card with Photo
• Federal Military ID
• U.S. Passport
If you have one of these IDs, you are ready to vote.
Polling locations will be open from 7 am to 7 pm on Tuesday.

According to WBTW News13, polling locations were already quite packed with people over the weekend, trying to cast their ballots ahead of Tuesday. Read the full article by clicking on the link below:

WBTW web article: Early Voting

From the City Center Farmer’s Market Facebook Page:

Don’t miss the City Center Farmers Market — every Saturday from 9am-1pm.

10am this Saturday: cooking demonstration!

Lots of healthy fresh produce and some incredible, but not so healthy treats likeFreckles & Giggles Homemade Ice Cream and sorbets, and pork rinds and boiled peanuts from Hickson’s Produce.

Don’t forget the Happy Cow chocolate milk that Ovis Hill Farm carries and Breads & Threads sweet rolls. P.S.- there’s more, come see for yourself!

For more information:

City Center Farmer’s Market Facebook Page