Pee Dee Regionald Transportation Authority Names Interim Executive Director

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Staff Reports

Don Strickland will become interim executive director of the Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority on March 1 when Chuck MacNeil retires.

Strickland’s appointment was announced Friday by the authority’s chairman, Tyron Jones. The authority’s board of directors met Thursday and voted on the appointment.

MacNeil has served as PDRTA executive director since October 2011.

“Among his many accomplishments, most notably saving our agency from the brink of collapse in 2013, Chuck also identified the necessary qualities of a future leader in Don Strickland and became a mentor to him over these past few years. I have witnessed Don’s professional growth and development under Chuck’s guidance and the two have worked tirelessly and in sync to advance PDRTA to a stronger agency with a brighter future,” Jones said.

George Jebaily, a Florence City Council member, serves on the PDRTA board and headed the search committee.

“It made too much sense to try this approach when Don has been a significant contributor here all along,” Jebaily said. “The board has become very familiar with his capabilities, expertise with federal and state transportation offices, and knowledge that comes with his 10-plus years of working at PDRTA. We do not want to see Chuck go but, given the circumstances the board is most comfortable to continue on with Don in charge.”

The PDRTA board also intends to retain MacNeil’s services to assist Strickland with the transition where needed in the months ahead.

Read the article on SC Now here.

Pee Dee Motorists: Prepare for Road Construction

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by Matthew Robertson

Approximately one year after public meetings were first conducted on the project, work is set to begin on improvements to Bentree Lane from West Palmetto Street to David McLeod Boulevard – one of several Florence County road projects set to start in the near future.

“This will consist of nighttime work with lane closures on Bentree Lane,” Lauren Roundtree wrote in a brief South Carolina Department of Transportation release on the project. “Roadwork will be ongoing over the next couple of months.”

Bentree Lane – which combines with Dozier Boulevard and Holly Circle to link Hoffmeyer Road, David McLeod Boulevard, West Palmetto Street and Second Loop Road – is set for additional turn lanes and improvements to its intersections at either end.

This project is funded through the Florence County Transportation Committee and the city of Florence, said Robert Kudelka, SCDOT spokesman, through an email sent out on the project.

The project encompasses the road’s intersections with David McLeod Boulevard and West Palmetto Streets and includes improvements to Dozier Boulevard from the intersection to Trade Court.

The purpose of the project is to improve operational efficiency for pedestrian and vehicle traffic, according to a post on the SCDOT website about the project. Additionally, the project will increase safety at each intersection with Bentree Lane.

In 2016, 27,000 vehicles per day traveled through the area on David McLeod Boulevard while 19,400 a day passed on West Palmetto Street, according to SCDOT traffic counts. No figure was available for Bentree Lane. Those numbers have held close to that since 2009.

Elsewhere in Florence County, large paving and surface rehabilitation projects are about to begin.

The longest projects will bisect Florence County both east to west and north to south.

U.S. 76 – Palmetto Street through Florence – is set for construction from the Marion County line to just past the Interstate 95 interchange. U.S. 52 is set for construction from the Darlington County line to Cades in Williamsburg County, according to a SCDOT project website.

Some other Pee Dee roads set for either paving or surface rehabilitation:

  • Interstate 95 is set to be paved from Hoffmeyer Road to the county line.
  • Interstate 95 from the North Carolina line to northern Florence County.
  • Interstate 20 through most of Darlington and Lee Counties.
  • U.S. 301/S.C. 327/Williston Road/Freedom Boulevard is set to be paved from Old Marion Highway to the bridge over Jeffries Creek.
  • Third Loop Road will be paved from South Irby Street to Bellevue Drive.
  • Church Street from National Cemetery Road to Pamplico Highway.
  • Francis Marion Road from Francis Marion University to National Cemetery Road.
  • Pineland Avenue from Cherokee Road to South Cashua Drive.
  • West Madison Avenue.
  • West Old No. 4 Highway from U.S. 52 to McAllister Mill Road.
  • Salem Road/West Old No. 4 Highway to Bethel Road.
  • Old Creek Road from West Old No. 4 Highway to U.S. 301.
  • U.S. 378 from North Church Street west to the Clarendon County line.
  • U.S. 378 from Old River Road to the Great Pee Dee River.
  • S.C. 41/51 will be paved from the railroad crossing to S.C. 341.
  • Dennis Road from West Main Street to Cooktown Road.
  • Hyman Road from S.C. 51 to Friendfield Road.
  • U.S. 15 from U.S. 52 to North Marquis Highway.
  • North Center Road from Old Camden Road to Indian Branch Road.

Other notable projects on the website:

  • Improvements for the U.S. 52/Alligator Road/Howe Springs Road intersection.
  • Improvements to the Francis Marion Road/Claussen Road/Old River Road intersection.
  • Improvements to the Pisgah Road/North Ebenezer Road/Sumter Street intersection.
  • Improvements to the U.S. 52/Wire Road intersection.
  • Improvements to the U.S. 301/North Bethel Road intersection.
  • Improvements to the U.S. 52/U.S. 401/Church Street intersection in Society Hill.
  • Widen Alligator Road from two to three lanes from U.S. 76 to Knollwood Road and three to five lanes from Knollwood Road to Alligator Branch Bridge.
  • Widen U.S. 76 to five lanes from Honda Way to I-95/Meadors Road.
  • Work on scour protection for the Interstate 95 bridge over the Great Pee Dee River.
  • Edisto Drive bridge replacement over Jeffries Creek.
  • Ebenezer Road bridge replacement over High Hill Creek.
  • U.S. 76 bridge replacement over the Lynches River at the Lee County line.
  • A series of bridges along U.S. 401 north of Interstate 20 are set to be replaced.

To read the article on SC Now, click here.

Tarr Group Holds Ribbon Cutting at Florence Chamber

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by Ardie Arvidson

Kevin Pulis of the Tarr Group LLC joined ambassadors from the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday to celebrate the group’s new chamber membership. A ribbon cutting was held at the chamber.

Pulis, a civil engineer who grew up in Florence and recently moved back, said he joined the chamber because he wants to be a part of the community now that he is back.

Pulis said he is eager to get back into the community and work with the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

“I want to help it (Florence) grow and prosper,” he said.

He said Florence is becoming a very impressive place, especially the downtown.

Pulis is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a degree in civil engineering and has 14 years of experience in civil engineering. He recently joined the Tarr Group.

The Tarr Group is a national civil engineering consulting firm with offices in Portland, Oregon; Denver; Indianapolis; and Florence.

Pulis said it is a consulting firm with experience in commercial, industrial and residential services. He said the group does site work from start to finish.

To contact Pulis, call 843-633-3579.

Read the full article on SC Now here.

Florence Chamber To Host Apprenticeship Meeting For The Pee Dee

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The Chamber and the South Carolina Department of Commerce would like to invite area businesses to participate in a Youth Apprenticeship Accelerator Meeting on Thursday, March 14. The gathering will be held at the SiMT Building located at 1951 Pisgah Rd in Florence. Registration starts at 7:30am and the program starts at 8:00am. The agenda includes a review of Apprenticeship Carolina and business/industry leader discussions on their active role in youth apprenticeship programs. A continental breakfast will be provided. Please RSVP as soon as possible as seating is limited. Register here online now.

Florence Chamber and BMW Partner to Host Forum

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Staff Reports

FLORENCE, S.C. – The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce in partnership with BMW is hosting a one-hour “Doing Business with BMW” forum at 10 a.m. on Feb. 7 in the chamber office at 100 West Evans St.

Representatives from BMW will discuss upcoming opportunities for small-, veteran-, woman- and minority-owned businesses, as well as details on attending the BMW supplier diversity conference in Greenville on April 4.

“The Florence Chamber sends a group of local, small minority businesses to the BMW Conference every year, which started while building a rapport with BMW several years ago” said Les Echols, the chamber’s director of community and minority enterprise.

The Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council (CVMSDC) will also be on hand to discuss how it supports and promotes minority-business development.

The forum and partnerships are a part the PRISM program, a chamber initiative that was created to promote the inclusion of small and minority businesses.

Attendance for the “Doing Business with BMW” is free, but advance registration is required since seating is limited. Those interested in attending should RSVP at this link.

To read the full article on SC Now, click here.

Allstate-Hardee Insurance Agency Holds Ribbon Cutting After Joining Florence Chamber

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by Matthew Robertson

FLORENCE, S.C. — The Hardee Agency had a ribbon cutting Thursday to mark both its joining the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce and its change in ownership as of Jan. 1.

Formerly Ben Stevens Allstate, the agency is now owned by Brandon Hardee and has remained with Allstate.

Hardee bought the agency from his father-in-law on Jan. 1 when he retired.

“My family’s been in insurance. My dad’s been in insurance for 30-plus years,” said Hardee, who has been in insurance since 2012.

The Hardee Agency is a full-service office that offers personalized insurance, home, auto, life, counsels on retirement needs and offers some commercial coverage products, Hardee said.
“This business has been in this location for 25 years,” Hardee said. “I’m excited to continue that legacy he started so many years ago.”

The Hardee Agency is at 1600 Second Loop Road in Florence. It can be reached at 843-665-4496. It is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

Read the full article on SC Now here.

Davison is named Ambassador of the Year for Florence Chamber

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by Ardie Arvidson

FLORENCE, S.C. – Two colleagues from the Florence Center were neck and neck for the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce Ambassador of the Year 2018 award, based on a point system. The award recipient was announced Wednesday at the annual Ambassador Luncheon, held at the chamber of commerce office in downtown Florence.
Brian Davison, director of sales, bested Patricia Taira, senior sales manager, by only 20 points to win top honors. Third place was awarded to David Fountain, who owns two UPS stores in Florence.

The award is based on points earned for participating in various chamber activities such as attending ribbon cuttings, Business After Hours and the Ambassador Luncheon, hosting an event or volunteering for a chamber event with the most points, a total of 30, earned for bringing a new paying member to the chamber. Seventy-seven new members joined the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce in 2018, said Jay Lavrinc, director of membership relations with the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

The top three ambassadors had a combined 2,013 points or 33 percent of the total points for the top 20 ambassadors. Davison earned 1,200 points for the year, Taira, 1,180 and Fountain 695.

Fifteen new ambassadors joined the chamber team in 2018, said Lavrinc. Fountain was one of them. Davison and Taira joined during 2017.

Davison said he joined because it was an opportunity for the Florence Center to be seen and represented to the public, to be a brand for the center.

Lavrinc said there was a “friendly competition” among the top contenders.

“I am very, very competitive,” Davison said. “And so is Patricia. She is just as competitive as I am.”

He said the competition was all in fun.

Davison said he didn’t record his points his first year as an ambassador because he didn’t believe in points. He said Lavrinc convinced him to keep track this past year, and it paid off. The Ambassador of the Year receives a plaque and a $100 gift certificate.

Lavrinc told the ambassadors that the new year has already begun with a ribbon cutting on Tuesday and that it is time to hit the ground running.

“We have a good group of ambassadors, and we appreciate all that you do,” said Mike Miller, president of the chamber. He said a lot is happening right now in Florence that is yet to be announced. He said Hyatt Place hotel and Carolina Bank, both downtown, should be having ribbon cuttings by mid-February.

Read the article on SC Now here.

Jr. Leadership at the Agribiz Expo

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Another Florence Chamber Partnership program focused on improving our educational opportunities.

“Thanks to ArborOne Farm Credit for their generous sponsorship of today’s session at the S.C. Agribiz Expo! We learned that when agriculture and forestry are combined, they create the #1 industry in our state. We had a great time learning about livestock, farm technology, agribusiness and more!”

Check out the Jr. Leadership Florence County Facebook page here.

Florence city manager to speak at chamber breakfast

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Staff Reports

Florence City Manager Drew Griffin will be the speaker on Feb. 22 at a Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce breakfast.
This Winter Legislative Breakfast, an informational community gathering, will start at 7:45 a.m. at the Florence Center. Doors will open at 7:30 a.m. The program will close by 9 a.m.

“We get questions daily about city and county happenings,” said Mike Miller, president of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce. “Sometimes, we find ourselves reaching out to city or county representatives for answers.

“Lately, with all the area development and growth, we are answering so many questions it seems logical to have city leaders offer more compete details. People want to know, and this is the perfect forum to share such information. We would like to do the same with the county soon.”

A Q&A session will be held after Griffin’s presentation. Questions will be accepted at the program, or questions can be sent in advance to the chamber, which will have Griffin address them during the program. Email questions to info@flochamber.com.

To register, click here.

To read the full article on SC Now, click here.

Magnet school in Florence accepting applications

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Carver Elementary School is accepting applications for the STEAM magnet program 2019-20 school year from now until Feb. 15.

Students from kindergarten to fourth grades can apply to the program even if students are not zoned for Carver Elementary. Once students are accepted into the program, they do not have to reapply for the program each year.

Parents can apply online through the Carver Elementary website here.

Calandra Brisbone, the STEM magnet coach for Carver Elementary, said the STEAM magnet program applies project-based learning and STEAM curriculum to all areas of education. She also said the school is moving more toward a blended model for learning.

Read the article on SC Now here.