Ninety-five metro areas in the United States had increases in nonfarm employment from November 2021 to November 2022. The metro with the second highest growth with an increase of 6.6% or 24,900 new jobs is Charleston/North Charleston, South Carolina.
Ninety-five metro areas had increases in nonfarm employment from November 2021 to November 2022, while 294 were essentially unchanged.
The over-the-year employment increase in the top 3, Atlantic City-Hammonton, New Jersey, was 9,400, while Charleston-North Charleston, South Carolina, had an increase of 24,900 and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, Iowa-Illinois, had an increase of 11,400.
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Twenty South Carolina schools were chosen to receive grants that will support the education of the next generation of environmental stewards, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced today.
“Champions of the Environment” awards are issued each school year to foster environmental education and action in South Carolina’s classrooms, from kindergarten through 12th grade. Teachers apply for grant funding by outlining their educational project that focuses on pollution or waste reduction, water or energy efficiency, or preservation of natural areas. The grant program is sponsored by DHEC, Dominion Energy, and Sylvamo, with assistance from the Environmental Education Association of South Carolina.
“We’re excited to award grants to such a large number of schools this year,” said Amanda Ley, DHEC’s coordinator for the Champions of the Environment program. “This is the largest number of projects we’ve awarded in the program’s history.” Ten schools won $2,500, four schools won $2,000, and six schools were awarded $1,000.
This year’s projects include gardens, habitat restoration projects, litter prevention, citizen science, waste management, and alternate energy sources. The 2022-23 Champions of the Environment winners are:
$2,500 winners
Ashley Hall School, Charleston County
Beechwood Middle School, Lexington County
Coastal Montessori Charter School, Georgetown County
Dacusville Middle School, Pickens County
Glenforest School, Lexington County
Liberty STEAM Charter School, Sumter County
Mid Carolina High School, Newberry County
Richland Two Institute of Innovation, Richland County
Trident Academy, Charleston County
Waccamaw High School, Georgetown County
$2,000 winners
Brookdale Elementary School , Orangeburg County
Lugoff Elgin High School, Kershaw County
Palmetto High School, Anderson County
Plain Elementary School, Greenville County
$1,000 winners
Darlington Middle School, Darlington County
Greer Middle College Charter High School, Greenville County
Leaphart Elementary STEAM Magnet, Lexington County
Mitchell Road Elementary, Greenville County
Swansea High Freshman Academy, Lexington County
Wellford Academy of Science and Technology, Spartanburg County
For more information, including descriptions of each winning project, visit www.scdhec.gov/champions.
This may come as no surprise, but Black-owned small businesses have been disproportionately hit by high inflation not long after recovering from COVID-19 related losses. I’m sure we can both agree that these restaurants play an influential role in Charleston’s food scene – beyond offering delicious food, America’s Black-owned food businesses also each paint a distinct picture of a multifaceted Black culture and cuisine, and so their survival is essential to the fabric of our country.
To help keep these restaurants alive and thriving, the Heinz Black Kitchen Initiative just announced the 65 Black-owned food businesses selected to receive grants of either $25,000 or $15,000 this year.
For the second consecutive year, in partnership with The LEE Initiative and Southern Restaurants for Racial Justice, a coalition of industry leaders doing the work to benefit Black-owned restaurants and communities, Heinz donated over $1M to fund the grants.
Launched in 2021, the Black Kitchen Initiative aims to celebrate and preserve the legacy of Black food by breaking down the barriers that keep Black voices and Black cooking on the margins of American culinary culture. This year’s grants follow a successful first year; in 2021, the LEE Initiative, SRRJ, and Heinz awarded over $1 million in grants to 72 businesses.
In addition to donating over $1M dollars, Heinz will:
Celebrate recipients, their business ventures, and their stories on Heinz.com/blackkitchen
Tap into its over 200,000 followers on social media across the @Heinz and @Heinz_US social platforms to spotlight the grant recipients
Reward each grant recipient with a unique cast iron pan trophy to commemorate recipients selection and involvement with the Black Kitchen Initiative.
As put by the Heinz team, “The partnership is about more than just saving restaurants; it’s about preserving Black culture today and into the future.”
‘Dinner and a movie’ is so 2021! Especially when the movie is now played out in the real-world. Let us explain!
The route you’re going to follow in the city is sprinkled with charming and picturesque places, fun clues and challenges, and romantic stories of past and present.
The experience will play out like you’re the main characters of a movie, only that you’re experiencing everything in first person! Fun dialogue, intrigue, and unexpected interactions are guaranteed.
Enjoy a postcard walk of historic downtown Charleston. These streets and structures have been walked by presidents and foreign dignitaries, generals and soldiers, slaves and slave traders, and pirates and merchants. You will see houses, churches, graveyards, and enjoy stories of some of the people and places that helped shape this city’s rich history.
3. Head to the starting point📍Available 24/7Pause and resume anytime.You can play offline
WHAT YOU’LL DO
The game is an interactive activity where you are guided by a mobile app through the city. With it, you follow directions and solve very fun puzzles, riddles, and cryptic codes.
During the game, you will also visit popular and hidden places in the city while learning fun (and we mean it) stories about them. This is a storytelling experience just as much.
The people doing these city exploration games gave them an average rating of 4.7/5 around the world. Join the playground too!
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More about Questo 🚶♀️
Questo is an urban entertainment platform offering thematic real-world exploration games. It is currently available in over 130 cities 🌎 and has entertained hundreds of thousands of players already. As of today, the app offers more than 300 different experiences created by a growing network of local content creators and event organizers.
An hour and a half south of Charleston, the small South Carolina town of Beaufort is the perfect destination to visit with your family
Recently, my family and I were able to take a two-night getaway to The Emerald in Beaufort, SC. Whenever we plan to travel with our two-year-old son, I always get a bit of ‘motherly anxiety’ regarding our plans, the logistics of getting around, and most importantly, keeping my toddler happy and entertained. Our stay at The Emerald not only surpassed our expectations but secured a place on our list of easy getaways to make a repeat visit to. Below I will explain more about why this stunning town ranked so highly on our list for a family-friendly, mini-vacation spot:
#5 A Charming Waterfront Town
Beaufort, SC is one of the most picturesque small towns that we’ve ever visited. Everywhere you look you’re greeted with beautiful harbor views, Spanish moss, and the famously recognizable lowcountry marshes. Between dining on the waterfront, strolling through the Beaufort Tree Walk, or chatting on the swings in Waterfront Park, everywhere you look is “picture perfect”.
#4 1.5 Hours From Downtown Charleston
As many parents can attest, it’s not always my idea of ‘fun’ to travel with a toddler. From packing up half of your house to entertaining your children during the trip, logistically a long trip can be a nightmare. Thankfully, Beaufort, SC is only an easy hour-and-a-half trip from the Charleston peninsula. Not only is it a shorter drive, but the trip also takes you through country roads and along scenic lowcountry marshes so you don’t have to worry about massive traffic or unexpected delays either.
#3 A Variety Of History And Activities
Beaufort, SC is home to an unbelievable amount of preserved history due to the civil war not being fought within the town. In addition, it is also home to a lot of Gullah Geechee culture. With such rich and diverse history within the town, you will have so much to see and learn about during your visit.
For the kids, there is A LOT of beautifully landscaped outdoor green space to run around and play. The renovated waterfront park playground is incredible and even has designated sections for toddlers and older kids to play safely. When you visit Bay Street, you will also be greeted with a variety of small boutiques with treasures from local artists, culinary gifts, clothing, and toys which makes the shopping experience fun for everyone. Make sure to swing by Bay Street Jewelers to check out the beautiful Beaufort Destination Collection of jewelry that honors this special town.
#2 The Food
I can’t begin to rave about Old Bull Tavern enough. Two words: Butterscotch Pudding! As a newly designated lover of butterscotch, I would make the trip down to Beaufort just to eat that pudding!
Simply put, the food in Beaufort was awesome, especially for seafood lovers such as myself. The shrimping industry is booming within the town which is reflected on the local restaurants’ menus. In fact, the shrimp salad at Plums also secured a spot on my list of favorite bites and sips during our time there. In addition, you can’t go wrong with trying the tomato pie at Lowcountry Produce, the chocolate macadamia caramel from The Chocolate Tree, and the iced coffee from Scout Southern Market (head to the back of the store)!
#1 The People
If I had to guess, I would say that the phrase ‘southern hospitality’ originated in Beaufort. The Beaufort locals that we had the pleasure of meeting absolutely made this trip. Anne and the amazing staff at The Emerald went above and beyond to welcome us with a special treat and answer all of our questions. Megan from Visit Beaufort, Emma from Emma’s Earth Shop, and Wayne, the ultimate tour guide, made sure that we got a full lesson on what makes Beaufort so special. From the local boutique employees, to the restaurant managers and waitstaff, everyone that we met went out of their way to make us feel welcome, special, and even doted upon (in my son’s case).
On our last night in Beaufort, we visited Old Bull Tavern, where we met the incredible team of Oscar, Sydney, and our server, Derek. On our way out, Derek remembered that my son was turning two and pulled out his wallet to gift my son his first two-dollar bill for his birthday. This act of kindness was so incredibly touching and memorable. People like Derek who welcome families into their establishments with open arms are the number one reason why Beaufort is the ultimate getaway from Charleston!
US News has named Charleston, SC the #6 Best Romantic Gataway in the United States in 2023
The article describes Charleston by saying, “
“Why Go To Charleston, SC
Centuries-old mansions, Spanish moss-draped trees, spooky cemeteries, cobblestone alleys: in a word, Charleston. As you walk the gas lamp-lit streets at night and pass horse-drawn carriages, you just might think you’ve traveled back in time. But just because this South Carolina city is proud to celebrate its heritage doesn’t mean it’s stuck in the past. Charleston boasts innovative restaurants, interesting shops, contemporary art galleries and the world-class Spoleto Festival USA.
History pervades almost every aspect of the Holy City, from the majestic homes-turned-museums to the landmarks that promote the city’s role in United States history. History buffs can visit Fort Sumter to learn about the Civil War, Middleton Place to hear stories about the plantation owners and the enslaved Africans who worked for them, and Emanuel AME Church to see where Martin Luther King Jr. once delivered a historic speech. Meanwhile, shopaholics looking for locally made goods should peruse the Charleston City Market where they will find sweetgrass baskets woven in traditional Gullah design, among other unique souvenirs. When you’re ready for a day at the beach, the city’s got you covered there, too. Several neighboring beach towns, including Sullivan’s Island, Isle of Palm and Folly Beach, offer sun, sand and gentle waves.”
SUMMERVILLE, SC (December 30, 2022) – Dorchester County Economic Development, which serves to support economic growth in the county, celebrates the successful expansion and establishment of record local business in 2022.
The year produced 9 official announcements totaling more than $406 million in new capital investment. This outweighs the previous county record of 6 announcements, in both 2017 and 2019, and is the largest single-year investment total since the organization’s inception in 1989 by more than $84 million. The year’s advancements will create an estimated 1231 new jobs, the second highest in Dorchester County in 25 years.
“Thanks to a shared synergy and dedication from allies across every level we proudly report the accomplishments brought forth in 2022” said John Truluck, Director of Economic Development. “We will continue to work on strategic positioning of our county and laying the foundation for future wins.”
Announcements:
Sportsman Boats Manufacturing Inc announced in March 2022 plans to expand its operations with an $8 million investment, creating 75 jobs.
BID Group, a leader in wood processing, announced in May a $10.6 million investment, creating 25 new jobs.
In June, ENGESER USA Corp, a world leading cable specialist, announced plans to establish operations in Dorchester County. The $1.5 million investment will create 26 new jobs.
New Wire Marine, announced in September plans to expand operations with a $1.8 million investment, creating 38 new jobs over the next 5 years.
Phenom Yachts, LLC, a subsidiary of South Carolina-based Sportsman Boats Manufacturing Inc., announced in October plans to establish operations in Dorchester County with a $12 million investment, creating 149 new jobs.
Arcadia Cold Storage & Logistics, a specialist in modern cold storage solutions, announced plans in October to establish operations in Dorchester County with a $70 million investment, creating 69 new jobs.
In October, Bosch announced the launch of electric motor production at its Dorchester County facility, alongside a $260 million investment expected to create 350 new jobs associated with the new production line.
KION North America, announced in December plans to expand operations in with an estimated $40 million investment which will create approximately 450 new jobs.
In December, Dennis Eagle, Inc. announced plans to expand its operations in Dorchester County. The $2.1 million investment will create 49 new jobs over the next five years.
Private developers also broke ground on multiple spec buildings located along Highway 78 in Summerville and near St. George in Dorchester County. “With remarkably high interest from tenants and particularly low building inventory, the addition of these buildings is a timely welcome” states Truluck. An impressive 9 speculative buildings are currently under construction in Dorchester County, totaling over 3.1 million square feet.
Notable:
In March construction began on a 229,840sf spec building located at the Eastport Distribution Center. A second 322,400sf building broke ground in December.
McQueen Distribution Center also began construction of a 110,000sf building in March, delivering early 2023.
In October, construction on two of three speculative buildings began at the Port 95 Business Park located at the 1,300 acre Winding woods Industrial Park. Building 1 is a 978,000sf cross-dock distribution warehouse building, while Building 2, will be a 242,000sf single-loaded building adaptable to manufacturing or distribution.
In November, construction commenced on a new commerce center located at 130 Hodge Road in McQueen Industrial Park. The new commerce center will house two industrial speculative buildings totaling 533,280 square feet.
Two speculative buildings totaling 780,260 sf were started in November at Jedburg Logistics Park.
Throughout the year DCED’s team dedicated time and talent to winning new business and assisting existing industries. To stay informed on the latest Dorchester County Economic Development updates, visit DorchesterforBusiness.com
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