SC Ranks 10th in Site Selection’s Top Ten Competitive States

Site Selection Magazine

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The Competitiveness Ranking here is a broader measure of state competitiveness than the number of announced projects, though that is a strong indicator of future job creation. It includes several New Plant Database criteria (see the index methodology sidebar), which reflect announced capital investment in total and per capita. It also includes other gauges of states’ strength, such as the number of National Career Readiness Certificates according to the Workforce Development Division of Atlanta-based ACT, administrator of the Certified Work Ready Communities initiative.

by MARK AREND
mark.arend bounce@siteselection.com

Boeing CEO Jim McNerney calls N. Charleston 787 campus “a big deal”

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By Brendan Kearney and John McDermott,

Boeing’s top executives heaped praise on the North Charleston 787 complex during the company’s annual investor meeting held on Kiawah Wednesday morning, while broadcasting sharp challenges, including to its suppliers and main competitor, Airbus.

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Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Ray Conner, shown in Tokyo earlier this year, was on Kiawah Island today to address analysts. He said the company’s 787 battery fix was the equivalent of “three years of work in three months.” (AP/Itsuo Inouye/File)

“We’re glad you could see it for yourself yesterday,” CEO Jim McNerney told the gathered analysts, referring to Tuesday’s tour of the local factories. “It’s a big deal. It took a long time, but we’re on the other side now.”

SC House Committee Crafting Cybersecurity Bill


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Harrell Congratulates Baptist Hill Students for all Their Hard Work

Speaker Bobby Harrell spoke with students at Baptist Hill in Hollywood, South Carolina at a pep-rally celebrating all the hard work the students have put into preparing for their upcoming End-of-Course Exams. Harrell encouraged the middle and high school students to dream big and continue working hard!

S.C. unemployment rate hits lowest mark in 5 years

Staff Report

South Carolina’s jobless rate in April dropped to its lowest level in nearly five years, the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce reported today.

April’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate slipped to 8%, down from 8.4% in March. Nationally, the unemployment rate in April was 7.5%.

“The 0.4% decrease from March marks the largest month-to-month drop since May 1987, and the number of South Carolinians finding work continues to increase each month,” said John Finan, the agency’s administrator. [Read more...]

Release – SC House: Time for Government Restructuring to Become Law

For 5th time in 5 years, House again approves a DOA Bill

To hear an audio quote on DOA Restructuring from Speaker Harrell, click here

****NOTE: Chart detailing the House’s DOA plan: here****

(Columbia, SC) – Today, the SC House of Representatives (in a 91 to 23 bipartisan vote) again approved a Department of Administration (DOA) bill, marking the 5th time the House has passed this government restructuring reform over the last 5 years.

If the House’s DOA plan makes it into law this year, it would institute the broadest government restructuring effort to be undertaken in South Carolina in decades.  Breaking up the quasi-Executive/Legislative Budget & Control Board, the House’s reform measure places Executive Branch functions directly under the Governor, adds stronger accountability oversight and will save taxpayers money by eliminating waste and duplication.

House Speaker Bobby Harrell issued this statement about the House’s DOA reform plan:

“Fundamentally changing the way government operates by challenging the status quo never comes easy – or quickly, considering this is the fifth time a DOA bill has passed the House – but our state’s system of government is in need of major reform.

“The House’s DOA reform plan adds direct accountability oversight, streamlines operations by removing duplication, and ultimately, saves taxpayers money.  [Read more...]

House Honors SC Medal of Honor Recipient’s Work

The SC House of Representatives was able to pay tribute to a true American Hero today.  We recognized Major General James Livingston, a SC native and Medal of Honor recipient, for everything he is doing to establish an Official National Medal of Honor Museum at Patriots Point.  These heroes more than deserve a place they can forever call their own and the preservation of their acts of valor will serve to inspire generations to come.

Always great to visit with my friend General Livingston.  We are proud of his work and were eager to support his efforts.

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Here is a copy of the remarks I gave from the House Floor today as we presented General Livingston and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society with a Resolution (H. 3979) showing the General Assembly’s support: [Read more...]

Speaker Harrell Welcomes Boeing’s Huge New Expansion

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By, Brendan Kearney

Friday’s ceremony in North Charleston was supposed to be about “Phase 2” of Boeing’s local expansion — a $1.1 billion investment and 2,000 more jobs in exchange for a government incentives package that includes $120 million from the state.

And it was, as a series of top elected and Boeing officials, looking out over the complex from an observation deck, marveled at how the 787 Dreamliner plant has progressed since the first major government-backed expansion here in 2009, and what the next round will include.

Boeing South Carolina Vice President and General Manager Jack Jones welcomes House Speaker Bobby Harrell to the podium at Friday’s celebration of the legislative deal wherein the plane maker agreed to invest another $1.1 billion in its local factory complex in exchange for $120 million of infrastructure support from the state. (Brendan Kearney/postandcourier.com)

Then Michael Luttig, Boeing’s general counsel and a part-time Kiawah Island resident, articulated what many outside the company have suspected about its long-term plans for the Lowcountry. [Read more...]

SC Tourism Spending Hits Record High – $16.5 billion

CHARLESTON, S.C. — (AP) – South Carolina’s tourism industry has bounced back after the Great Recession with tourism spending reaching a record $16.5 billion, according to figures released Saturday by the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.

“We’re pretty well back now,” said Duane Parrish, director of the state agency. The numbers released to the Associated Press show that, during 2011, tourism spending was up almost 10 percent and has surpassed the previous record $15 billion of 2008.

“I think pent-up demand is part of it,” Parrish said “People get to the point where they either feel better about the economy or decide they are in a new economy but they are going to travel anyway.” [Read more...]

Help wanted: Amazon to add hundreds of Midlands area jobs

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By TIM FLACH

COLUMBIA, SC — Online retailer Amazon is ramping up hiring at its Cayce distribution center, saying it plans to hire hundreds of full-time workers to pick, pack and ship customer orders.

Amazon officials won’t specify the number of jobs that will be added and the current staff level, calling that proprietary information.

A year ago, company officials said the facility had a payroll of 1,000 full-time employees. [Read more...]