Midlands Palmetto Pulse May

University of South Carolina's National Resource Center Selected As Successor to The National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students

The University of South Carolina's National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition (NRC) has been selected as the new home for the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS), which has been based at the University of North Georgia since 2012. An international resource for scholarship and innovation in student transition research, the NRC has served for 40 years supporting educators and institutions with first-year programming, academic advising, and strategies that promote student learning and persistence. 

Adams Outdoor Advertising Acquires Static and Digital Billboard Assets in Orangeburg, South Carolina

Adams Outdoor Advertising has expanded its presence in central South Carolina through the acquisition of one static billboard and one digital billboard from Fairey Motor Company in Orangeburg. The billboard assets, previously owned and operated by Fairey Motor Company, are located along key travel corridors in Orangeburg, providing strong visibility to both local residents and travelers moving through the area. With one traditional static billboard and one high-impact digital billboard, the locations offer a combination of long-term brand visibility and flexible, real-time messaging capabilities.

Colliers Represents Law Firm in Relocation of Columbia Office

Colliers | South Carolina’s Mary Winter Teaster and Sydney Lanham represented the tenant Brock & Scott PLLC in the leasing of a 4,358-square-foot suite at Crown Pointe. The building is an over 35,000-square-foot multi-tenant office building located at 1400 Browning Road in the St. Andrews submarket of Columbia. Brock & Scott PLLC is a law firm with offices throughout 22 states, offering a range of services. The move from its current Columbia office at 3800 Fernandina Road to its new location in Crown Pointe was to take place in April 2026. 

SPOTLIGHT

Indigo Road Hospitality Group to Operate Forthcoming Haigler Hotel and Restaurant in Camden, South Carolina

The Indigo Road Hospitality Group will operate the forthcoming Haigler Hotel and its signature restaurant, a new boutique destination currently under construction in downtown Camden, South Carolina. Attached to Camden’s historic clock tower building, the approximately 50-room Haigler Hotel is slated to open in early 2027. The project’s design and construction team includes architect Wentz Chesson and interior designer Daliana Shafner of Integrated Building Design, along with CPI Construction. The project is being developed by Kershaw Hospitality LLC, led by Ben Zeigler and Philip Woollcott.

People, Not Patients: Able South Carolina and Historic Columbia Reveal Untold Stories of the SC State Hospital

Able South Carolina and Historic Columbia officially unveiled "People, Not Patients," a collaborative project funded by SC Humanities that documents the lived experiences of people with disabilities and mental health conditions who were confined at the former South Carolina State Hospital, known colloquially as “Bull Street.” Spanning the institution’s history from its 19th-century opening to its closure in the early 2000s, the project centers the voices and experiences of those often omitted from the historical record.

Free Reading Help Now at All 14 ABBE Regional Libraries

Literacy SC, a Columbia-based nonprofit, announced the expansion of its free adult tutoring services to all 14 locations within the ABBE Regional Library System, spanning Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, and Edgefield counties. This expansion builds on the foundation laid in July 2024 by Aiken residents Janet Kabel and the late Loretta Beckner. These two volunteers first brought Literacy SC's Turning Pages adult reading program to Aiken and served as the branch's co-coordinators for a year.

Consumer Cellular Opens First South Carolina Retail Location in Irmo

Consumer Cellular opened its first South Carolina brick-and-mortar retail location on March 26 in Irmo. The Irmo store is the 10th company-owned retail store to open in March, marking a nearly 14 percent increase across the month of March alone. The wireless provider now operates 83 retail stores across 30 states, and plans to reach 120 retail locations by year's end. ACSI has ranked Consumer Cellular No. 1 in both Network Coverage and Customer satisfaction, and USA TODAY ranks them No. 1 in Customer Service.

Income Tax Cuts and $15.4B Budget Pass SC House

The House approved two income tax bills and a $15.4 billion spending plan that didn’t factor in their revenue losses. The votes sent one bill, which lowers state income tax rates, to the governor’s desk. Republicans tout it as a tax cut, though many South Carolinians will pay more next year under the changes. Some Democrats said the bill is a tax increase on working people. The other bill would temporarily apply federal tax cuts to state income taxes. The House advanced the first draft of the state budget in a vote of 101-18.

Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union Celebrates New Branch in Whitmire, South Carolina

Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union celebrated the opening of its new branch in Whitmire, South Carolina, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held March 30. Community leaders, residents and Palmetto Citizens team members gathered at the new branch, located at 138 Main St., to celebrate the milestone. The 1,650-square-foot branch is housed in a historic downtown Whitmire building dating back to the early 1900s. The new location, which includes an onsite ATM, provides area residents with access to Palmetto Citizens’ full suite of member-owned financial services.

Zeus Expands Access to Catheter Components Through Chamfr Marketplace

Zeus, a global leader in advanced polymer solutions and catheter manufacturing headquartered in Orangeburg, South Carolina, announced a partnership with Chamfr to make more than 100 liner and heat shrink products readily available through Chamfr's online marketplace. The collaboration gives device engineers faster, on-demand access to critical components used in catheter development and prototyping. Products available through the marketplace include FEP heat shrink, FluoroPEELZ peelable heat shrink, PTFE Sub-Lite-Wall liners, and PTFE StreamLiner catheter liners, with additional Zeus products expected to be added over time.

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SPOTLIGHT

Outgoing CMA Director Receives Order of the Palmetto

The Columbia Museum of Art’s outgoing executive director, Della Watkins, has been awarded the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of her years of leadership, impact, achievements, and contributions to the state and its residents. On behalf of Gov. Henry McMaster, Mayor Daniel Rickenmann surprised Watkins with the award at the CMA on Thursday, March 26, during the South Carolina Arts Commission’s presentation of the annual Governor’s Awards for the Arts. Under Watkins’ leadership, the CMA received the inaugural Governor’s Award for the Arts in the category of accessibility.    

Central Midlands Council of Government's 2025 Annual Report Highlights

• The Workforce Development Department served over 3,000 individual employers through integrated business services.

• The Aging Department facilitated over 85,000 meals being served and assisted over 2,000 clients through the nutrition program.

• Community and Economic Development currently have 18 grant administration projects underway and assisted with obtaining three new CDBG grants.

• The Transportation Department programmed over $39 million of transportation improvements within the Metropolitan Planning Area and over $24 million of transportation improvements in the Rural Planning Area.