Palmetto Pulse Pee Dee for March 2026

MANUFACTURING

Cyclic Materials Selects Chesterfield County for First East Coast Operation

Cyclic Materials, a leader in recycling solutions for rare earth elements, announced it selected Chesterfield County to establish the company’s first East Coast operation. The $82 million+ investment will create 90 skilled jobs, according to the South Carolina Department of Commerce. The company’s new co-located processing and manufacturing facility, to be located in the Alligator Industrial Park in McBee, will produce copper, steel, aluminum, and mixed rare earth oxide. Operations are expected to be online in 2028.

ENERGY UPDATE

SC Regulators Approve Proposals That Duke Energy Says Improve Reliability, Reduce Hurricane Helene Cost Impact on Customer Bills

Beginning in January, Duke Energy will implement changes to customer bills that reflect, company officials said, investments made to recover from the historic damage from Hurricane Helene, strengthen the grid against storms and outages, maintain and upgrade its power-generating fleet, and serve a growing customer base while supporting economic growth in South Carolina. The PSCSC recently approved a securitization plan that company officials said will save DEC customers more than $140 million on Helene expenses.

MANUFACTURING REBRANDING

ICE Recycling Rebrands as Vaiire

ICE Recycling has announced that the company has rebranded as Vaiire (pronounced Vair), marking an important step in its continued growth and evolution. After nearly 20 years of serving manufacturers, suppliers, and logistics partners, the company has expanded beyond its origins in traditional recycling to include advanced polymer solutions, material management and performance focused service offerings. Vaiire comes from the Latin root variar, representing movement, adaptability and forward momentum.

SPOTLIGHT

McLeod Health Foundation Receives $1,370,000 in Grants from The Duke Endowment

The McLeod Health Foundation has received two grants from The Duke Endowment totaling $1,370,000 over the next five years. The first grant for $620,000 will support a health care/workforce development partnership between McLeod Health and Florence 1 Schools, which operates the new Poynor School of Innovation in Healthcare. The second grant for $750,000 will expand Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas (HPHC), a coalition-based initiative to tackle chronic health issues, to Clarendon County.

LOCAL RESTAURANT

Takoyaki Holds Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Takoyaki owners and employees, along with Chamber Ambassadors, cut their ribbon on Jan. 26, officially joining the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce and celebrating their grand opening. Takoyaki is an upscale restaurant located at 2049 W. Evans St. in Florence. The restaurant features fresh sushi, sashimi, and ramen-style dishes, along with hibachi.

SOLAR ENERGY

EnergyRe Signs 25-year Power Purchase Agreements for Five Solar Projects in South Carolina

EnergyRe, a leading developer of energy solutions, announced it has executed 25-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) with an unnamed investor-owned utility in South Carolina for five solar projects totaling 360 megawatts (MW) of affordable and reliable energy capacity. Upon commercial operation, officials said these projects are expected to collectively generate 360 MW of reliable and affordable energy, capable of powering approximately 58,600 homes annually.

LOCAL TAX PREPARATION

FMU Students Offer Free Tax Return Prep Through April 15

Francis Marion University’s tax accounting students are offering free tax return preparation through the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. The program runs through April 15. The service will be available every Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., by appointment only. There are 13 appointment slots per hour. Appointments are held in the School of Business/School of Education building. The program is open to all United States residents, and there are no income requirements for the service. Both state and federal taxes can be prepared.

HOUSING STUDY

Study Finds Florence Faces Five‑Year Gap of About 6,016 Housing Units

Patrick Bowen, principal of Bowen National Research, told the Florence City Council the city faces a significant mismatch between housing demand and local supply, estimating a five‑year housing gap of about 6,016 units. Bowen presented demographic, vacancy, and sales data showing that the study area will add household growth through 2030 and that many existing residents and commuters cannot afford typical rents and home prices in Florence. "You are gonna need at least 500 new units over the next 5 years to meet up with growing need," Bowen said, adding that the full housing gap figure includes preservation and rehabilitation needs as well as new construction.

FOOD & WINE

Florence Wine and Food Festival Returns This March

Florence’s weekend of food, wine, and music kicks off Thursday evening, March 26 with Meat & Meander, featuring dishes and beverages by Micky Finn’s alongside live bluegrass by The Bluestone Ramblers. Friday sees Sean Brock, the James Beard Award-winning chef, present a cooking demonstration and interactive experience. The evening continues with the Sip + Savor Wine Stroll with a wine tasting at The Waters Building. A limited multi-course Signature Dinner at Town Hall ends the evening. The event culminates Saturday with Ray Isle Wine (and Spirits!) Class, the Grand Tasting block party main event, and closes with The Final Pour, honoring Brock and featuring wines from Somnium.

EDUCATION

College of Charleston Expands EPIC Scholars Program with Florence-Darlington Technical College

The College of Charleston has announced a new partnership with Florence-Darlington Technical College through its EPIC Scholars program, creating streamlined transfer pathways for students pursuing associate degrees in accounting (AAS), management (AAS), and marketing (AAS). This collaboration provides guaranteed admission, tuition discounts, a $2,500 financial grant, and credit transfers into the College’s online Bachelor of Professional Studies program, helping students complete their degrees and advance in South Carolina’s workforce.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

The Palmetto Partnership to Host 3rd Annual Under The Palms Event

The Palmetto Partnership of All 4 Autism will host the 3rd Annual Under The Palms on May 7, 2026. This event helps to fund support programs for those with disabilities and their families in the Pee Dee Region. “This year’s event is incredibly special to us, because we are celebrating 10 years of serving local families in need. I remember taking my very first phone call in March of 2016. Since then, we have provided services and support to over 600 families throughout the Pee Dee," said Executive Director Jessica Brown. "Our hope is that we will continue to advocate for the underserved and provide a place where you feel that you belong.” 

BANKING

Anderson Brothers Bank Announces New Leadership Appointments

Anderson Brothers Bank announced that the board of directors has approved nine leadership appointments:

Vice Presidents: Kendra Jordan, director of Electronic Banking; Candace Britton, director of Business Services; Koko Elliott, director of Deposit Operations; Amy Smith, director of Loan and Credit Operations; Jeff George, director of Credit Administration; and Dan Reynolds, commercial loan officer.

Assistant Vice Presidents: Heather Stanley, Mortgage Operations manager; Maria Cartrette, Branch Support supervisor; and Sherry Young, Call Center manager.

SPOTLIGHT

$20,000 GE HealthCare Donation to Help4Kids-Florence

GE HealthCare presented $20,000 to Help4Kids-Florence on Feb. 12 in support of their incredible work in the Pee Dee community. In addition to the check presentation, 19 GEHC colleagues volunteered for 90 minutes packing meals and restocking the operation for the next group of volunteers. Officials with GE noted that this donation and volunteer effort reflects GE HealthCare’s ongoing commitment to supporting organizations that expand access to safe, affordable housing, healthy food, quality education, and a strong community environment — helping to reduce health disparities for families and individuals living with chronic disease.