Charleston Daily Seeking all the beauty that is Charleston, South Carolina

By Mark A. Leon

The City of Charleston has approved $7.66 million in funding for fiscal year operations supporting parks, recreation, arts, and transportation initiatives across the city. The budget also allocates an additional $1.74 million toward workforce housing programs, reinforcing the city’s commitment to expanding affordable housing opportunities for residents.

Below is a detailed breakdown of the approved funding by agency, fund, program, and event.

Operating Expenditures

• Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau (30%) $3,472,500
• DASH Shuttle (Free) $788,255
• To General Fund (5%) $603,750
• IAAM 2014 $5M Bond -Transfer to IAAM Fund $400,116
• IAAM 2018 $7.5M Bond – Transfer to IAAM Fund $616,616
• SC Aquarium Maintenance Fund $500,000
• Visitor Center Operations (including maintenance and repairs) $261,034
• Brittlebank Park Boardwalk $50,000
• Wragg Square Wall Repairs $65,000
• Waterfront Park Hardscape Renovation $150,000
• City of Charleston Cultural Festivals Fund (Piccolo, MOJA, CFM, etc) $750,000

Operating Expenditures Subtotal 7,657,271

Workforce Housing Expenditures – $1,740,000

Max 15% of Revenue for Workforce Housing Workforce Housing Expenditures

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By Mark A. Leon

The City of Charleston has approved $2.5 million in arts funding for 2026, providing critical support to the organizations, festivals, and cultural institutions that help shape the region’s creative landscape. A total of 29 recipients were awarded grants to support operations, programming, and community engagement efforts throughout the coming year. Below is a complete list of every organization and event receiving City arts funding for 2026.

2026 Approved Budget – Arts Grants-in-Aid

• Carolina Art Association (Gibbes Museum) $235,000
• Charleston Area Sports Commission $20,000
• Charleston Golf Inc. $15,000
• Charleston Literary Festival (Charleston to Charleston, Inc.) $20,000
• Charleston Museum $240,000
• Charleston Opera Theater $5,000
• Charleston Parks Conservancy $20,000
• Charleston Stage Company $80,000
• Charleston Symphony Orchestra $200,000
• Charleston Wine & Food Festival $140,000
• Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry $80,000
• Company Company $7,500
• Cooper River Bridge Run $150,000
• CRW Events (Charleston Race Week at Patriot’s Point) $20,000
• Drayton Hall Preservation Trust $75,000
• Engaging Creative Minds $20,000
• Halsey Institute $25,000
• Historic Charleston Foundation $75,000
• Jazz Artists of Charleston (Charleston Jazz) $80,000
• Lowcountry AIDS Services $5,000
• Lowcountry Jazz Festival (Closing the Gap in Health Care Inc.) $70,000
• Preservation Society of Charleston $15,000
• Pure Theatre $7,500
• SC250 Charleston, Inc. $100,000
• South Carolina Aquarium $215,000
• South Carolina Historical Society $10,000
• Southeastern Wildlife Exposition $275,000
• Spoleto Festival $275,000
• YALLFest $20,000

Grants Subtotal $2,500,000

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Source: City of Charleston, SC

Join us this summer for a Free Dental Day that provides no‑cost dental care to uninsured and underinsured adults and youth through a large, temporary clinic staffed by volunteer dentists, hygienists, and support teams. Hosted annually, this multi‑day event offers exams, cleanings, extractions, and restorative care while connecting patients to ongoing resources in their communities.

There is no formal registration required. Walk-ins are welcome and encouraged for this event.

• Where: CHARLESTON AREA CONVENTION CENTER | 5001 Coliseum Dr · North Charleston, SC 29418
• When: July 9-10, 2026 / July 17-18, 2026
• Want to Volunteer? – Click HERE for Patient Registration Day / Click HERE for Dental Day / Click HERE for Set Up and Tear Down
• Interested in Sponsorship? Click HERE.
• Official Event Website

Details

X-RAY AND REGISTRATION DATES

July 9th or July 10th from 9am-5pm

TREATMENT DATES 

July 17th and July 18th from 8am-5pm

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Charleston, SC(For Immediate Release) — PURE Theatre is proud to announce its 24th season, featuring five mainstage productions, including two Southeast Regional Premieres and two World Premieres. Additional offerings include the World Premiere Summer Slam production of Red Shirts and the Second Annual PURE Theatre Playwrights Festival. Performances in the 2026-2027 season will take place at the Cannon Street Arts Center and virtually through PURE Live, the company’s live-streaming program.

“A friend recently asked me how, after all of these seasons, I remain so energized by the work,” says PURE Co-founder and Executive Artistic Director Sharon Graci. “And the answer is easy: because the work is hard, the artistic bar is high, and the stories are brilliant. I really do have the best job. I get to make art with people I love, in a city we are all devoted to, for audiences who have become like family. How could I not be thrilled?”

“I spent a long time with these plays. I always do. It takes a great deal for a script to earn a place in a PURE season, and every one of these playwrights has written something I simply could not shake.

Some made me laugh out loud. Some broke my heart. Some left me unsettled for days. They all challenged me.

They don’t share a point of view or a style, and in fact, they disagree with one another in fascinating ways. But what they have in common is that I couldn’t stop thinking about them.

That’s the kind of theatre I love. Theatre that stays with you long after the lights come up. Theatre that sparks conversation. Theatre that reminds us how complicated, funny, frightening, and extraordinary it is to be human.

I cannot wait to share these stories with our audience.”

PURE SUMMER SLAM: RED SHIRTS

A World Premiere by Rodney Lee Rogers. Directed by Sharon Graci.

July 16-August 1, 2026

PURE’s Summer Slam production is an annual preseason event that keeps the company producing during the summer months. This year’s Summer Slam will feature the world premiere of Red Shirts by PURE Co-founder Rodney Lee Rogers.

From PURE Theatre Co-Founders Sharon Graci and Rodney Lee Rogers, building on twenty-four years of uncompromising storytelling, comes their most dangerous collaboration yet: a new Southern noir anthology for the theatre.

In this inaugural production, three stories take the stage. A stuntman who has spent his life taking hits meant for someone else. A musician still waiting for the end of the world. A man in the Charleston marsh country who discovers that some debts are older than the people who owe them.

These are the red shirts. The expendables. The people nobody expects to survive the story. Until they do.

CHURCH WARS

A World Premiere by Fred Thompson. Directed by Sharon Graci.

August 27-September 19, 2026

Season 24 officially kicks off in August 2026 with Church Wars, a world premiere play by Fred Thompson.

When a struggling church discovers a way to save itself, everyone agrees it’s a blessing. Until the selection committee gets involved.

What begins as a fundraiser quickly becomes a fight over whose recipe makes the cut and whose gets left out. Which, as it turns out, is the same thing as fighting over everything else.

From the creator of PURE audience favorite Atwater comes a mockumentary comedy in the tradition of Christopher Guest, where the stakes are absurd, the people are sincere, and nobody is nearly as reasonable as they think they are.

Church Wars will coincide with the Second Annual Playwrights Festival, a weekend of storytelling, workshops, conversations, and celebration featuring playwrights from Season 24, including Rodney Lee Rogers, Fred Thompson, Maggie Kearnan, Josh Tobiessen, and the welcome return of York Walker, whose play Covenant opened Season 23.

THE ANTIQUITIES

A Southeast Regional Premiere by Jordan Harrison. Directed by Sharon Graci.

October 22-November 14, 2026

Next comes The Antiquities, a “brilliantly imagined drama” (The Wall Street Journal) by Jordan Harrison.

At the Museum of Late Human Antiquities, curators work to reconstruct a vanished civilization from the fragments it left behind. Piece by piece, they begin to tell the story of us.

As glimpses of ordinary life come into focus, first loves, family dinners, scientific breakthroughs, impossible ambitions, a larger picture begins to emerge.

So does something else.

Funny, haunting, and unexpectedly moving, The Antiquities invites us to see ourselves from a distance and wonder what future generations might make of the story we’re telling right now.

HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES

by Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich. Directed by Rodney Lee Rogers.

January 28-February 20, 2027

Winter 2027 brings Here There Are Blueberries by Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich.

Called “the greatest detective story ever told” (Los Angeles Times), Here There Are Blueberries begins with the arrival of a photo album at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Inside are snapshots of ordinary life. Friends laughing together. Young women enjoying a day in the sun. Moments of leisure. Moments of joy.

The photographs were taken at Auschwitz.

As archivists begin to investigate the album’s origins, a remarkable true story unfolds. The deeper they look, the more difficult the questions become. Not only about the past, but about ourselves.

LIKE FLIES

A Southeast Regional Premiere by Maggie Kearnan. Directed by Sharon Graci.

March 4-27, 2027

March 2027 ushers in Like Flies by Maggie Kearnan.

In a small, tightly bound community, the women have found a way to keep themselves safe.

They share it quietly. Pass it hand to hand. And never speak of it beyond their circle.

For a while, it works.

But safety has a way of changing people. As whispers spread and loyalties begin to fracture, what began as protection takes on a darker shape.

Because once you decide who deserves to be spared, you also decide who doesn’t.

Fresh from its world premiere at Portland Stage, Like Flies arrives at PURE Theatre for its Southeast Regional Premiere.

BAT CITY

A World Premiere Co-Production with Warehouse Theatre by Josh Tobiessen. Directed by Caroline Jane Davis.

April 22-May 15, 2027

Season 24 concludes with the rolling world premiere of Bat City by Josh Tobiessen, produced in partnership with Warehouse Theatre in Greenville.

In Austin, where everyone seems to be one good idea away from becoming somebody, Amy, Charlie, and Liz are trying to figure out what comes next.

Amy is convinced her big break is just around the corner. Charlie already had his and would rather not discuss it. Liz blew up her entire life in search of something better and is still waiting for it to arrive.

They spend their nights working at a restaurant, closing down the bar, making plans, and promising themselves that change is coming.

Then one night, a terrible idea starts to sound like a very good one.

Josh Tobiessen gives us a comedy that is fast, funny, and just a little bit dangerous.

Bat City is a World Premiere co-production of PURE Theatre and Warehouse Theatre.

The Season 24 Flex Pass is on sale now and offers audiences access to one of the most compelling seasons in PURE Theatre’s history. The pass includes five flexible tickets for the mainstage season, concierge ticketing services, first invitations to all PURE events, and discounts on additional ticket purchases, including the Summer Slam. The Flex Pass also includes access to PURE’s Dining Benefits Program, in partnership with the Charleston Arts Festival, which offers patrons discounts and specials at favorite local restaurants throughout the season.

Flex Passes start at $212, a savings of more than 15 percent off the cost of purchasing five individual tickets at the average single-ticket price. In recognition of their service to the community, current and retired K-12 educators are eligible for a specially priced Educator Flex Pass for $100 by contacting PURE.

Patrons and ticket buyers should visit PURE Theatre’s website at puretheatre.org for additional information about Season 24. Information on purchasing season Flex Passes and individual tickets is also available on PURE’s website, social media platforms, and through PURE Theatre’s box office at 843-723-4444, Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

ABOUT PURE THEATRE

Founded in 2003, PURE Theatre is Charleston’s award-winning professional theatre company, now in its 24th season. Built around a resident ensemble of actors, directors, and designers, PURE produces bold contemporary plays, often Southeastern and regional premieres, that bring the most current voices in American theatre to Charleston. Known for its quality, intimacy, and consistency, PURE offers audiences a boutique cultural experience that complements the city’s historic and culinary landscape. Grounded by a five-play mainstage season, PURE also produces educational and touring programs, strengthening South Carolina’s arts ecology and contributing to its reputation as a world-class cultural destination.

PURE’s staff includes Sharon Graci (Co-founder and Artistic Director), Rodney Lee Rogers (Co-founder and Producing Director), David Mandel (Associate Artistic Director), Joy Vandervort-Cobb (Associate Artistic Director), Tippy Trombly (Patron Experience and Marketing Manager), and Isabella Gardner (Patron Experiences & Marketing Associate).

Serving on PURE Theatre’s board of directors are Stephanie Hunt (President), Brad Erickson (Vice Chair), James M. Ward, CPA (Treasurer), Michael Culler, Amy Gaffney, David Smalls, Liza Elsner, Bea Wray, and Josh Wilhoit.

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By Mark A. Leon

Terra Mia Italian Takeout is officially open on James Island! June 2, 2026 marked the official launch of this new take out option.

Located at 1740 Signal Point Rd (Building 2, Unit 250), Charleston, SC 29412, this spot is perfect for a convenient, high-quality night in. 

 How to Order

Whether you want to drive by for a quick pick-up or have it delivered straight to your couch, Terra Mia has you covered:

 Phone (Pick-up): Call 854-253-6513

 Official Website

Delivery: Available on Uber Eats and DoorDash via their DoorDash Store Page.

Terra Mia features a scratch-made menu highlighting rich flavors and classic Italian staples: 

• Fresh Pasta Dishes: From rich Spaghetti alla Bolognese and creamy Fettuccini Alfredo to savory Gnocchi alla Sorrentina and Nonna’s Baked Ziti. 
• Seafood Specialties: Spaghetti white wine clams and Spaghetti ai Frutti di Mare. 
• Hearty Paninis: Hot, toasted Italian sandwiches like Meatball or Sausage served with a side of French fries or a fresh salad.

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• George Washington’s War Tent – College of Charleston – June 13-14, 2026
• Celebrating American Independence with A Colonial Fair – Colonial Kids’ Experience with Tim Lowry – Wando Mount Pleasant Library – June 20, 2026
• Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness concert: Concert featuring diverse Revolutionary-era cultural traditions – Sunrise Presbyterian Church – June 20, 2026
• Cole Swindell and Lee Brice – Summer of Revolution, powered by SC250 Charleston – Credit One Stadium – June 20, 2026
• Declaring Independence in Charleston: Text and Context Lecture: Lecture on Charleston’s Declaration of Independence – The Charleston Museum – June 23, 2026
• Every Inch a Gentleman A Revolutionary-Era Dinner with Storyteller Tim Lowry: Lecture on the Battle of Sullivan’s Island. There are two seatings for this event: 6:30 and 7:00 PM – Circa 1886 – June 25, 2026
• Revolutionary Ideas: A Conversation with Rick Atkinson: Join us at the Dock Street Theater for an evening with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Rick Atkinson as he discusses his book The Fate of the Day about the middle years of the Revolution and Charleston’s role. Moderated by Carl Borick from the Charleston Museum – Dock Street Theatre – June 26, 2026
• Carolina Day Commemoration at White Point Garden (Palmetto Society): Church service, parade, and ceremony for Carolina Day – White Point Garden – June 27, 2026
• SC250 CORA Parade of Sail: Celebrate Carolina Day from the water with the SC250 CORA Parade of Sail, a special harbor procession honoring the Battle of Sullivan’s Island and Charleston’s maritime history – Celebrate Carolina Day from the water with the SC250 CORA Parade of Sail, a special harbor procession honoring the Battle of Sullivan’s Island and Charleston’s maritime history.  Presented in partnership with the Charleston Ocean Racing Association, boats will follow a designated route through Charleston Harbor decorated with SC250 pennants and visible to spectators along the waterfront. Additional details, including viewing locations and access information, coming soon.
• SC250 – Carolina Day RiverDogs Baseball Game and Drone Show – Joe Riley Stadium – June 28, 2026
• Independence Celebration Family Fun Event at HWH: Family Independence celebration at Heyward-Washington House – July 3, 2026
• Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence: Historical reenactors and community leaders perform a public reading of the Declaration of Independence on the steps of the Old Exchange, free and open to the public – Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon – July 4, 2026 (9 AM)
• Waterfront Independence Day Celebration: A waterfront Independence Day celebration featuring family-friendly, patriotic programming and a coordinated, peninsula-wide fireworks display – Waterfront Park – July 4, 2026 – 4:00 PM

Official SC 250 Events Website

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$70 million investment will create 45 new jobs

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Red Metals, a next-generation copper manufacturer, today announced it is establishing its first copper manufacturing operation in Charleston County. The company’s $70 million investment is expected to create at least 45 new jobs.

Copper is a critical input for electrical infrastructure, data centers, electrification, advanced manufacturing and defense applications. S&P Global projects global copper demand will nearly double by 2035, driven by electrification, renewable energy, electric vehicles and digital infrastructure.

Red Metals is building a new domestic supply chain for copper products by converting copper raw materials directly into finished goods through an integrated refining and manufacturing process. The company’s Charleston County facility will serve as its first production operation.

Located at 4500 Leeds Ave. in North Charleston, the company’s 42,000-square-foot facility will manufacture high-conductivity copper rod used in wire, cable and other electrical applications. The operation is designed to strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity and deliver essential copper products with shorter lead times and reduced supply chain complexity.

Operations are expected to come online in the fourth quarter of 2026. Engineers, operators and other entrepreneurial builders interested in joining the Red Metals team should visit redmetals.com to learn more.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to the project.

QUOTES

“Red Metals is building a modern domestic supply of copper products at a time when reliable industrial infrastructure has never been more critical. Charleston County gives us the foundation to scale a new model for copper refining and manufacturing, in close proximity to both the sources of supply and the industries that depend on it. We’re excited to invest in the region, create high-quality jobs and help support the next generation of American manufacturing, energy and defense.” -Red Metals Founder and CEO Jackson Switzer

“We are proud to welcome Red Metals to South Carolina and further strengthen our state’s manufacturing industry. With the addition of 45 jobs in Charleston County, this investment marks another win for our state and our workforce.” -Gov. Henry McMaster  

“Congratulations to Red Metals on establishing its first operations in Charleston County. The company’s investment of $70 million reflects the strength of South Carolina’s economy and workforce.” -Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III

“Red Metals’ decision to bring its copper manufacturing to Charleston County delivers a significant advantage for several of our key industries that rely on this essential material. Aside from strengthening the supply chain for neighboring businesses, this investment also brings high-quality jobs to advance our workforce as it continues to grow.” -Charleston County Chairman Joe Boykin

“We’re pleased to welcome Red Metals to the Charleston region. Their investment reflects the continued momentum we’re seeing across Charleston and the strength of our regional partnerships. We appreciate their commitment to our community and look forward to supporting their success as they grow here.” -Charleston Regional Development Alliance Board Chairman Will Russell

FIVE FAST FACTS

• Red Metals is establishing its first copper manufacturing operation in Charleston County.
• The company’s $70 million investment is expected to create at least 45 new jobs.
• Red Metals is a next-generation copper manufacturer building a new domestic supply chain for finished copper products.
• The company will be located at 4500 Leeds Ave. in North Charleston, S.C.
• Engineers, operators and other entrepreneurial builders interested in joining the Red Metals team should visit redmetals.com to learn more.

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BY  DAVE COLLINS – Associated Press

A two-year investigation into immigrants with fake identity documents led to federal officials detaining 48 workers at a South Carolina metal casting business and six people facing state charges, including two top managers at the plant, authorities announced Thursday.

Dozens of officials with federal and local law enforcement agencies raided Burnstein von Seelen Precision Castings in Abbeville on Wednesday. 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers took the workers into custody on alleged immigration violations, and the company’s plant manager and human resources director were arrested on allegations they knowingly hired immigrants in the U.S. illegally, state Attorney General Alan Wilson said at a news conference.

The company officials were indicted by a state grand jury, along with four other people accused of making and selling false U.S. and state identifications using information from identity thefts.

“We want to send a message that this isn’t about going after people who are trying to feed their family,” Wilson said. “This isn’t going after companies or businesses who unknowingly hiring illegal. This is about going after something much larger, you know, a conspiracy of people around South Carolina to steal identities, to create fake Social Security cards, fake driver’s license, fake immigration documents.”

Officials at Burnstein von Seelen did not immediately return messages left by phone and through its website,

The two company managers were expected to appear at the Richland County Courthouse in Columbia on Thursday to face charges of criminal conspiracy and identity fraud to obtain employment. It was not immediately clear if they had lawyers who could respond to the allegations.

Burnstein von Seelen, founded in 1985, is a metals casting business, using different alloys of copper, brass and bronze to make an array of components, according to its website. It is located in Abbeville County, population around 25,000, in western South Carolina not far from the Georgia line, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) west of Columbia.

ICE officials said they were reviewing the immigration status of the 48 workers who were detained, who they said included people who have had previous encounters with ICE and some who were previously ordered deported.

Authorities said the investigation is continuing, and more indictments and arrests were possible.

The American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina said it was seeking more information about the detention of the immigrant workers. It also expressed skepticism in general about initial government statements about ICE operations, because of what it called incorrect descriptions about other immigration enforcement actions around the country.

“The bottom line is that these employees showed up for work, and many of them will not be able to return home to their families,” said Jace Woodrum, the group’s executive director, in a statement. “In other states, we’ve seen similar actions include gross violations of individual liberties that are guaranteed to all regardless of immigration status.”

State officials began the probe began in October 2024. At the time it started, local law enforcement officials were frustrated by a lack of federal enforcement efforts against false identifications and identity theft under President Joe Biden’s administration, Wilson said. That changed, he said, when President Donald Trump took office last year, and federal authorities joined the state investigation, he said.

Wednesday’s raid at the plant was not typical of Trump’s mass deportation efforts that have garnered criticism. Immigration raids at businesses have been a relatively small part of the deportation campaign, and state officials played a leading role in the South Carolina investigation.

Officials approached the investigation in ways similar to drug probes, said prosecutor Creighton Waters, pursuing not just the people using the phony documentation but those supplying it.

Watch full story from CBS News: CLICK HERE

Source: Associated Press and CBS News

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The project is expected to create 490 jobs and will be supported by recently approved CHIPS Act funding. The U.S. government will become one of the company’s largest shareholders.

• USA Rare Earth will invest $1.2 billion to establish a magnet manufacturing and refined metals operation in Blacksburg, South Carolina, the critical minerals company said Tuesday. It is targeting a 2028 commissioning date, with plans to begin site work in the coming months.
• The project, slated for Bailey Industrial Park, is expected to create 490 jobs and expand domestic production for sintered neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) permanent magnets and refined rare earth metals. 
• USA Rare Earth on Wednesday said it reached definitive agreements to receive up to $1.6 billion in funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s CHIPS program for its Blacksburg facility and other projects underway. In exchange, the U.S. government will receive 16.1 million shares, making it one of the largest company stakeholders.

Dive Insight:

Founded in 2019, USA Rare Earth is focused on developing a domestic “mine-to-magnet” supply chain independent from China. Its U.S. operations span mining, separation, metal production and magnet manufacturing, according to the company’s website.

USA Rare Earth also has operations in the United Kingdom and recently struck a $2.8 billion deal to acquire Serra Verde Group, which owns a Pela Ema rare earth mine and production plants in Goiás, Brazil. Additionally, it has a rare earth metal and alloy project underway in Lacq, France.

The Blacksburg project would expand USA Rare Earth’s domestic metal magnet capacity. USA Rare Earth plans to produce 6,400 metric tons of NdFeB magnets and 5,000 metric tons of strip cast, metal and alloy at the facility per year. Engineering work and equipment procurement is underway.

CEO Barbara Hampton described the project as “the next critical link” in the company’s global rare earth and magnet supply chain.

Once completed, the location will conduct electrolysis, heat treatment, jet milling, machining and coating, among other tasks, according to the South Carolina Department of Commerce. The magnets and refined metals produced there are expected to support advanced manufacturing industries, including defense, aerospace, semiconductor, medical, artificial intelligence and energy.

“South Carolina offered the workforce, the infrastructure and the partners we needed to move quickly,” Hampton said in a statement. “With this investment, we’re bringing home the advanced manufacturing capabilities that America and its allies depend on, from the factory floor to the front lines.”

In March, USA Rare Earth began commissioning its first commercial production line at its magnet manufacturing plant in Stillwater, Oklahoma, which is being expanded. Together with the Blacksburg facility, the company said it will aim to produce 10,000 metric tons of NdFeB magnets and 10,000 metric tons of strip cast, metal and alloy per year.

The company chose Blacksburg after evaluating multiple states for the project. During the search, it said it considered incentives like grants, tax credits and exemptions, access to reliable and affordable power, proximity to a skilled workforce and other factors. Duke Energy agreed to provide utility services to the facility.

South Carolina’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to the project. A spokesperson declined to say how much was approved for the project.

USA Rare Earth on Wednesday said it reached definitive funding agreements with the Commerce Department regarding a number of investment projects, including the development of the Round Top mineral deposit and processing output in Hudspeth County, Texas; reshoring of capacity through subsidiary Less Common Metals; and scaling of magnet capacity in Stillwater and Blacksburg.

“This partnership with the U.S. government is the largest of its kind in our industry and provides the necessary capital to build the only global platform across light and heavy rare earth mining and processing, metal and alloy making, as well as magnet manufacturing — for the benefit of the United States and its allies,” Michael Blitzer, board chairman of USA Rare Earth, said in a statement.

The agreements provide access to up to $277 million in federal funding and up to $1.3 billion in senior secured loan capacity under the CHIPS Act. In exchange, USA Rare Earth will issue 16.1 million shares of common stock to the U.S. government and 17.6 million warrants, according to an investor filing. The funding will be disbursed in phases and is tied to project milestones.

USA Rare Earth plans to deploy up to $3.5 billion developing and expanding its rare earth supply chain through a mix of federal funding and private capital. It closed on a $1.5 billion fundraising round in January.

Source: Manufacturing Dive

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CHARLESTON, S.C. — The Office of U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) is accepting U.S. service academy nomination applications for the class of 2031.

Sen. Scott is able to nominate a limited number of students in South Carolina for attendance at the following U.S. service academies: the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (the U.S. Coast Guard Academy does not require a congressional nomination).

“The United States service academies shape the next generation of leaders dedicated to serving our great nation. I am honored to nominate these exceptional young men and women from South Carolina each year as they answer the call to service and take the next step in pursuing academic excellence and leadership.” said Sen. Scott.

Students who are interested in applying for a nomination should apply by 11:59 p.m. ET on Oct. 16, 2026. For more information, visit: www.scott.senate.gov/constituent-services/service-academy-nominations/

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