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Midlands Tech expands education for high-demand jobs with new Lexington campus
LEXINGTON — People in the South Carolina Midlands who want jobs in high-demand fields, such as heavy equipment operators or aides in a doctor’s office, could soon get the necessary training closer to home or work. Starting in January, Midlands Technical College will offer classes out of a former middle school as part of a […]
Scholarship program that enables debt-free college expands to SC’s poorest county
ALLENDALE — High school students in South Carolina’s poorest county will be able to go to college for free thanks to a privately funded scholarship program expanding across the state, its director announced Thursday in a gym filled with students and parents. The Meeting Street Scholarship Fund, started by Sherman Financial founder Ben Navarro of […]
Winthrop wins grant from Charles Schwab to train financial planners
ROCK HILL — As many as 40 Winthrop University business students could receive scholarships to become financial planners with a grant from investment giant Charles Schwab. The Charles Schwab Foundation would not disclose how much it gave but Winthrop administrators called the gift significant. The donation announced this month will fund scholarships and help with […]
Governor sings Spice Girls hit to explain SC’s economic development approach
WEST COLUMBIA — When it comes to South Carolina’s economic development strategy, Gov. Henry McMaster thinks the Spice Girls explain it best. The 76-year-old Republican governor took to the mic with a sampling of the British girl band’s 1997 chart-topper “Wannabe” during a Tuesday breakfast gathering of the Greater Cayce-West Columbia Chamber of Commerce. When […]
Will pension incentive help fill bus driver shortage? Legislators want to try.
COLUMBIA – School districts across South Carolina are scrambling to find enough people to drive buses. They have raised pay — some above $20 per hour — covered the cost of training and offered bonuses, but it’s still a struggle. To help, a bi-partisan trio of legislators propose freeing up an additional source of workers […]
Clemson, USC ask lawmakers for $1B, including for vet and medical schools
COLUMBIA – Clemson University is seeking an additional $175 million from the Legislature for the state’s first veterinary school, while the University of South Carolina wants $50 million more for a new medical campus, according to the colleges’ budget requests to lawmakers. In all, South Carolina’s two largest university systems – and biggest rivals – […]
Married couples would get a tax break on 2nd home under SC proposal
COLUMBIA — Married couples who own two homes in South Carolina would get a big break on their property taxes under legislation certain to be opposed by local government officials. Under state law, South Carolinians can claim just one home as their primary residence for tax purposes. A second home — whether it’s rental property, […]
$15M effort to train SC students on supercomputers starts at USC
COLUMBIA – A state-funded initiative to train South Carolina college students on a quantum supercomputer for future high-tech, high-paying jobs kicks into gear in January. The newly formed South Carolina Quantum Association will start pairing students and professors with companies seeking industry advancements that only a quantum computer can provide, according to the group’s organizer, […]
Business groups tout tax credit as way to expand high-paying job opportunities in SC
COLUMBIA — More South Carolinians could earn a paycheck while training for high-paying jobs under legislation business advocacy groups are pushing as a way to reduce the state’s workforce shortage. The state Chamber of Commerce and state Manufacturers Association want the Legislature to expand tax credits for apprenticeship programs. It’s a priority for both groups […]
SC transmission maker announces $500M expansion to serve EV market
GRAY COURT — Laurens County’s largest employer is a German vehicle transmission maker, but electric vehicles don’t need traditional transmissions. That’s why ZF Group’s latest $500 million buildout of its Laurens County facility is so important. The company will add new manufacturing lines, making parts for electric vehicles. As automakers in South Carolina and across […]
SC could spend $496M to move state employees in deal that benefits major donor
COLUMBIA — Legislators gave key approval Tuesday to moving thousands of state agency employees to newer offices outside of downtown Columbia at the cost of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars that could benefit a major Republican donor. Under the proposal, four agencies along Bull Street in Columbia would move to two office campuses miles […]
USC expanding civil rights research hub on former campus of historic Black school
COLUMBIA — With restoration of what remains of Columbia’s first Black public high school fully funded, the director of the University of South Carolina’s civil rights center is turning his attention to expansion. The estimated $24 million project involves new construction on the historic Booker T. Washington High School property. The stories and contributions of […]