Finding Gratitude in Resilience: A Thanksgiving Reflection
November 26, 2024On Thanksgiving, we are reminded of the importance of gratitude, even in the face of hardship. This year, Laurens County has faced immense challenges that tested our collective strength and…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: headlines, on-the-move, op-ed
Richland County becoming a leader in South Carolina’s manufacturing surge
November 19, 2024By Jeff Ruble Director, Richland County Economic Development Office Located in one of the fastest-growing regions in the nation, Richland County is in the midst of an economic surge marked…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: economic-development, manufacturing, on-the-move, op-ed
Why Sheriff Leon Lott is the only choice
October 22, 2024Popular law enforcement leader is up for re-election By W. Thomas Smith Jr. This is an easy story to write – easy in one way, challenging in another (which I’ll…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: on-the-move, op-ed
The urgent need to address China UnionPay’s influence in the credit card industry
July 2, 2024By Kyle Johnson As lawmakers continue to crackdown on China’s growing threat to the U.S., it’s time for Congress to turn its attention to the credit card industry, another area…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: government, on-the-move, op-ed
Conservation and Clean Energy Strengthen South Carolina Businesses, Communities
June 12, 2024Conservation and clean energy are becoming increasingly important to protecting the natural beauty of our state while supporting a stronger, more resilient American economy. To that end, South Carolina is…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: energy, on-the-move, op-ed
South Carolina needs federal permitting reform
June 3, 2024By Adam B. Jones Executive Director American Council of Engineering Consultants of South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham played an important role in passing strong, commonsense infrastructure legislation that is…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: government, op-ed
How women are shaping South Carolina real estate through legacy and influence
March 19, 2024By Reah Smith 2024 President of the South Carolina Association of REALTORS® As temperatures are increasing and interest rates are stabilizing, South Carolina’s real estate market is bracing for…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move, op-ed
The proposed Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA) is not good for small business
December 19, 2023By Chris Merritt Merritt Roofing In 2016, I started Merritt Roofing, a small business serving homeowners in York County, SC and the greater Charlotte, NC area. Over these past seven…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: banking-and-finance, on-the-move, op-ed
Israel will prevail in this war
October 19, 2023Intangibles are some of the primary reasons why PART 2: Analysis by W. Thomas Smith Jr. TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO I was in Israel and on the Palestinian Authority-controlled West Bank,…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: on-the-move, op-ed
They are ABLE
October 2, 2023By State Treasurer Curtis Loftis Administrator for the Palmetto ABLE Savings Program How important is stability, peace of mind or independence to you? These qualities are always top of…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: conversations, on-the-move, op-ed
Two thought-provoking questions by Governor McMaster
January 31, 2023By Alan Cooper Publisher [I spoke about this topic on the South Carolina Business Review on Monday, January 30 – listen here] During the State of the State address, Governor…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: on-the-move, op-ed
How South Carolina businesses can prepare for an economic downturn
January 12, 2023By Thomas Anderson Following a global pandemic, South Carolina finance executives have redefined adaptability with warp-speed reconfiguration of capital investment plans. With a potential economic slowdown on the horizon in…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: advice, banking-and-finance, economic-development, on-the-move, op-ed
Pay for Richland deputies isn’t about politics: It’s about taking care of those who protect
November 28, 2022By Sheriff Leon Lott – “Northern California Sheriff announces indefinite suspension of daytime patrols citing catastrophic staffing shortage. – “Philadelphia Police to allow unarmed civilian traffic officers, offer recruitment bonuses…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: on-the-move, op-ed
Rural South Carolina: Building Healthier Communities for the People Who Power America
November 17, 2022By Dr. Saundra Glover South Carolina State Director USDA Rural Development As we celebrate National Rural Health Day this year, we are reminded that a strong community is rooted in…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: on-the-move, op-ed
Teamwork – effective and fun!
October 27, 2022By Jeff Becraft One of the most epic moments in my life happened in a grocery store. It was on an alumni trip back in the Youth Corps days. There…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, op-ed, the-arts
The History of Clinton is Rich and the Future is Bright
October 10, 2022By Joseph Dyches One of the greatest things about a thriving downtown is that it can rarely be defined by a single building or business. In many cases, a small…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move, op-ed
Supporting financial stability for South Carolinians with disabilities
August 15, 2022By State Treasurer Curtis Loftis Nearly 800,000 people in South Carolina live with a physical or mental disability. Many of them are able and willing to work, yet our state…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: government, on-the-move, op-ed
Low-quality patents are a threat for small businesses
July 22, 2022By Austin Meyer Since founding X-Plane in 1995, a flight simulator that allows pilots to practice without getting in a plane, my work has always been focused on increasing safety…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: on-the-move, op-ed
With summer here, time for officials to focus on power reliability
July 11, 2022By Cline Jones In the wake of COVID, most Americans for the first time have been forced to face an ugly truth: supply chains are more fragile than we ever…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: energy, on-the-move, op-ed
Government charge cards require stringent oversight
April 20, 2022By Richard Eckstrom, S.C. Comptroller Government procurement cards, known as p-cards, are intended to streamline routine purchases such as for office supplies and small dollar items. Functioning like credit cards…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: accounting, government, on-the-move, op-ed
Pension plan shortfall demands lawmakers’ attention
March 8, 2022By Richard Eckstrom, S.C. Comptroller It definitely doesn’t get the attention it deserves, but it’s among the most severe financial problems facing South Carolina today: The state retiree pension plan…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: banking-and-finance, government, on-the-move, op-ed
Op-Ed: The time is here to let voters decide on Sunday liquor store sales
March 7, 2022Opinion Editorial By Ed McMullen Chairman, Cheers! Let South Carolina Decide Elected representatives in Columbia are currently debating legislation that will help South Carolina businesses compete in the 21st century.…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: economic-development, government, law, on-the-move, op-ed
Was Normal Good Enough?
February 18, 2022By Erinn Rowe CEO Harvest Hope Food Bank As the CEO of Harvest Hope Food Bank, I have seen the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic firsthand. I have seen a…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: non-profit, on-the-move, op-ed
Is the omicron variant Mother Nature’s way of vaccinating the masses and curbing the pandemic?
February 1, 2022The characteristics of the COVID-19 omicron variant has many people wondering if it could act as a vaccine of sorts, inoculating enough people to effectively bring about herd immunity. By…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: health-care, on-the-move, op-ed
State Guard volunteers help people during emergencies
January 17, 2022By Richard Eckstrom, S.C. Comptroller One Saturday a month, hundreds of folks from across the state come together at sites in Charleston, Columbia and Greenville for a day of military-style…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: government, on-the-move, op-ed
Let’s Put South Carolina First
January 13, 2022By John Boyanoski, Rosylin Weston and Chip Felkel The State of South Carolina has roughly $6 billion dollars in relatively unexpected money to spend in the next five years due…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: government, on-the-move, op-ed
S.C. a national leader on timely financial reporting
November 29, 2021By Richard Eckstrom, S.C. Comptroller Each fall, my office releases the state’s financial report for the prior fiscal year. The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, commonly called a CAFR, is a…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: banking-and-finance, government, on-the-move, op-ed
South Carolina’s role in the fight against suicide
November 17, 2021By Jim Harris The statistics concerning suicide are sobering, and the issue impacts many more people than most of us realize. We see the headlines when we lose celebrities like…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: on-the-move, op-ed
Building I-73 is in the state’s best interest
October 25, 2021By Richard Eckstrom – S.C. Comptroller Supporters of a proposed stretch of interstate connecting I-95 to Myrtle Beach recently got a couple of pieces of welcome, long-awaited news. A judge…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: on-the-move, op-ed, transportation
Business is Always Personal
September 27, 2021By Brian T. King, Founder and President, A M King “This is just business. It’s not personal.” I remember the first time I heard those words. It is a…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: advice, construction, op-ed
Five tips for getting your house ready to list this fall
August 24, 2021By Joan Herlong Kids are going back to school, people are planning their last summer vacations and your clothes tend to stick to the backs of your legs and arms…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: advice, op-ed, residential-real-estate
America is better than what we’re witnessing right now
August 19, 2021By Tom Mullikin It’s been nearly two decades since that fateful September morning in 2001 when four commercial airliners were hijacked by Al Qaeda terrorists and flown into the World…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: military, on-the-move, op-ed
Colliers Op-Ed: Three Things Hoteliers Should Start Doing Today
May 6, 2021Some hoteliers hit the pause button in March 2020 with COVID-19’s arrival to wait and see what would happen, but now is the time to set things into motion again.…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, commercial-real-estate, on-the-move, op-ed
Why Greenville?
April 13, 2021By Andrew Kurtz President and CEO of Kopis Chances are you’re reading this because you are interested in learning more about potential tech careers or Greenville, or (we hope) both. Located…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: on-the-move, op-ed
Business Trends to Watch in 2021: Adapting to the New Normal
February 25, 2021By Brian T. King Founder and President of A M King The events of 2020 reshaped business significantly. The changes we experienced did not occur in ripples, but more…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: advice, construction, op-ed
What Critical Thinking Really Is
February 22, 2021By Steven J. Pearlman, PhD I’ll let you in on a secret: defining critical thinking is typically a trap. It’s a trap because critical thinking encompasses so many things. For…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: on-the-move, op-ed
Make Learning to Save Fun and Easy for Kids this America Saves Week
February 16, 2021By State Treasurer Curtis Loftis When it comes to learning something new, you often hear, “it’s never too late.” But when it comes to smart money habits, it’s almost never…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: banking-and-finance, education, on-the-move, op-ed
Why Your Child Doesn’t Learn Critical Thinking in School
February 11, 2021By Steven J. Pearlman, PhD If you’re like most parents, you want your child to learn to think critically, and if you’re expecting that their education should play a vital…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: on-the-move, op-ed
Palmetto State Teachers Association Statement on Governor’s Budget, 1/8/21
January 8, 2021By Kathy Maness, Executive Director Palmetto State Teachers Association As our state continues to grapple with the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, our citizens are experiencing a natural desire…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: education, on-the-move, op-ed
Everyone has a Role in Creating a Safer Upstate
November 17, 2020By Sheriff Rick Clark and Stinson Ferguson, Co-Chairs, Ten at the Top Safer Upstate Committee While personal and community safety have always been vital components of society, the pandemic and…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: on-the-move, op-ed
Act UNITED for more affordable housing
October 26, 2020By Sarah DeWolf Trident United Way, Public Policy Committee Chair You can make a difference this election day by supporting affordable housing in the form of two referenda in Charleston…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: non-profit, on-the-move, op-ed, residential-real-estate
Coming Soon!
July 10, 2020Coming Soon!
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The protests have exposed the flaws that we Americans must keep working to repair
June 9, 2020By U.S. Rep. James Clyburn In my memoir “Blessed Experiences: Genuinely Southern, Proudly Black,” I share a philosophy I developed as a student protester on the campus of South…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, government, on-the-move, op-ed
COVID-19 Impact on Energy Storage Sector
May 7, 2020By Ron MacDonald Despite the wrecking ball that the pandemic has been on the global economy, businesses and residences will continue to operate as long as there is reliable power…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: energy, on-the-move, op-ed
College athletics faces significant problems coming out of the coronavirus crisis
April 30, 2020By Rick Jones, founder, FishBait Marketing All across America, college athletic administrators are struggling with two major issues: Firstly, how to keep their student-athletes, coaches, support staff, students and…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: on-the-move, op-ed
Opportunities in Our Own Upstate Backyard
April 21, 2020By Jim White, Ph.D. As the COVID-19 crisis sweeps the country, people living in thousands of impoverished American communities are likely feeling even more anxious than ever. Distressed communities may…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: on-the-move, op-ed
Opportunities in Our Own Lowcountry Backyard
April 21, 2020By Jim White, Ph.D. As the COVID-19 crisis sweeps the country, people living in thousands of impoverished American communities are likely feeling even more anxious than ever. Distressed communities may…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: on-the-move, op-ed
Opportunities in Our Own Backyard
April 21, 2020By Jim White, Ph.D. As the COVID-19 crisis sweeps the country, people living in thousands of impoverished American communities are likely feeling even more anxious than ever. Distressed communities may…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: on-the-move, op-ed
The COVID-19 Crisis Requires a New Way of Life
April 2, 2020By Sam Konduros Unprecedented steps are being taken by all of us – businesses and families alike – as we collectively combat the Coronavirus global pandemic that is hitting far…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: hi-tech-information-tech, on-the-move, op-ed
GOP tax law leaves SC small businesses behind
February 12, 2020By Frank Knapp CEO South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce Today, Vice President Mike Pence is visiting South Carolina to tout the business benefits of the 2017 Tax…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: on-the-move, op-ed