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COLUMBIA — The state approved an $85 million loan for “Project Panther,” a highly anticipated food and beverage production operation in Orangeburg that could be pivotal for the area if the deal is finalized, lawmakers said.

The company behind the project remains unidentified.

“It’s a big project, and it’s a huge deal for Orangeburg, so … it would be great for them,” House Ways and Means Chair Rep. Bruce Bannister, R-Greenville, said Feb. 4. “Jobs and economic activity and what it’s bringing there could be transformational for that area.”

The loan approval followed a permit request last July, when the S.C. Department of Commerce and the Orangeburg County Development Commission filed paperwork with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on behalf of a proposed “food or beverage production, packaging and distribution facility.”

Few details were disclosed. All that was known was that an unidentified company had been looking at what official had described as a “power site” south of downtown Orangeburg.

S.C. Commerce Secretary Harry Lightsey wrote at the time the investment by the “sponsor” would exceed $400 million and that no fewer than 400 jobs would be created.

The deal would be a substantial boost for the area, which has an unemployment rate of 6.4 percent — more than two points above the 4.1 percent statewide average, according to state data.

The investment is planned for a 919 acre tract south of where S.C. Highway 21 meets Highway 178. In their July request, S.C. Commerce and the local economic development group specified the project would need sufficient acreage and access to an interstate highway and railroad.

Most of the undeveloped area is owned by the county and is being marketed under “Orangeburg Power Site,” with an asking price of about $11.2 million, or $15,000 an acre.

The rest belongs to Nottoc Farms LLC, according to public real estate records.

A breakdown of infrastructure figures was included in the state’s loan-request documents. The highest projected expense is for site preparation, at $19 million. Off-site wastewater system improvements was next at $15 million, and wastewater pretreatment facility services were estimated to cost $13 million.

Lawmakers approved the Commerce Department’s loan request Feb. 4 during a Joint Bond Review Committee meeting. There was no discussion about the funding.

“As I understand it, it would have a significant economic impact, should it materialize,” Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, said after the meeting.

The money is to be paid back in about 20 years, the committee said. State documents show a breakdown of the state’s spending on the project and interest likely accumulated by 2045, just over $35 million.

The identity of the company eyeing the site has been kept under wraps, and as of Feb. 4, there was no confirmation of when more information would be announced. Details like the construction schedule are also still unclear. Anyone who does know, lawmakers said, have likely signed a confidentiality agreement.

A spokesperson for the county commission said they did not have a comment on the loan.

Bannister said lawmakers don’t have to do anything else unless S.C. Commerce’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development needs something. He said “Project Panther” is expected to finalize its plans and make an announcement at a later date.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. - A 94-year-old Orangeburg County woman was found dead Monday morning after her family says she went missing during frigid, rainy weather.

Orangeburg County Coroner Sean Fogle said on Thursday that the cause of death was hypothermia.

Neetha Kelly, a lifelong Bowman resident, was last seen by family on Sunday night between 10:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. on the 700 block of Magnolia Street in Bowman.

Orangeburg County deputies say her vehicle was found abandoned in a ditch on Magnolia Street.

Her family says she was found dead less than a half-mile from that location, across the street from a church.

Her nephew, Anthony Robertson, says he spoke with her just hours before she went missing and urged her to stay inside. He added that after someone saw Kelly’s car in a ditch on Magnolia Street in Bowman, the family began a frantic search to find her.

“It is with the deepest sorrow that we announce we have located Miss Kelly. Unfortunately, this outcome is not what we had hoped and prayed for. Please pray for this family,” said Sheriff Ravenell.

Robertson, meanwhile, now remembers his aunt as one of the sweetest women he’s ever known. He said Kelly blessed the lives of many in the Bowman community with her genuine care and concern.

Family members say that what happened Sunday was out of character for her, especially given that she isn’t supposed to be driving at night. They noted that she could have been having memory problems.

When asked what he would say to other families who may be in similar situations with loved ones, Robertson urged caution.

“Use extreme, extreme caution. Go overboard if needed,” he said. “And that’s even, hey, encouraging her, suggesting that she no longer drive, that they not leave the home alone, and maybe even for family members to stay there. Maybe stay with the elderly who are like that.”

Robertson also noted that it seemed odd that lights were left on at her home, where she lived alone. Her doors were also reportedly left unlocked.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — South Carolina State University held a victory parade Wednesday afternoon to celebrate its overtime win in the Celebration Bowl.

The parade began at 2 p.m. near the Orangeburg County Library and ended at the Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

Ryan Stubblefield found Jordan Smith on a two-point pass in the fourth overtime and South Carolina State defeated Prairie View A&M 40-38 on Saturday in the 10th Celebration Bowl, the matchup between the champions of the MEAC and SWAC.

The Celebration Bowl is the national championship for historically black colleges and universities.

Earlier this week, Gov. Henry McMaster approved a request to raise in Columbia for the first time ever to mark the school’s victory.

Multiple speakers were on hand on Monday to celebrate the momentous occasion, including University President Alexander Conyers, Miss South Carolina State University Olivia Ruff and State Sen. Deon Tedder, who was one of the legislators who pushed to have S.C. State’s flag flown atop the State House.

“It’s a powerful symbol of excellence, resilience and bulldog pride,” Ruff said. “This achievement reflects the discipline, teamwork, and determination that define SC State both on and off the field.”

Tedder, who is also an alum of S.C. State, tied Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s passion for education to the flag being flown today in his remarks.

“For the first time in the state’s history, a flag of a historically black college or university, the South Carolina State University flag, flies atop the House dome,” he said. “That matters because Dr. King deeply believed in education as a pathway to freedom, dignity, and opportunity. He understood that institutions like South Carolina State University are not just places of learning; they are engines of hope.”

S.C. State received the flag during its victory parade.

For months, Orangeburg resident William Green has been calling, writing letters and traveling to meet with company leaders to push for service to be restored.

ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. — Bus service is finally returning to Orangeburg months after Greyhound and its new owner removed the city from its route, leaving residents with no reliable way to travel in or out of the area.

For months, Orangeburg resident William Green has been calling, writing letters and traveling to meet with company leaders to push for service to be restored. “The process was very difficult, very difficult,” Green said. “I made several phone calls, I mailed out letters to Greyhound.”

Green says losing bus service cut off many people from opportunities to travel for school, work or to visit family. “We don't have a national airport with large flights coming in. We don't have a train station here,” he said. “The only thing that we had was a bus system for people to get in and out of Orangeburg, to visit students going back and forth home.”

He says his determination comes from his deep roots in the community. “My mother grew up here, my family’s from here, my grandparents, great-grandparents, and I just see that Orangeburg needs to be a better place for people to live and enjoy life,” Green said.

After meeting with company officials in Atlanta, Green says a new contract has been signed and service is officially set to return. “I’m just so happy that the bus is coming back and I don’t have to get somebody to drive me to Augusta or Charleston to catch the bus,” he said.

Bus service will operate out of the Travel Center on Edisto Drive, also known as Henry’s.

Service is expected to begin by the end of the month.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (WIS) - A prominent data center solutions contractor and manufacturer announced Tuesday that it had selected a Midlands county for its first South Carolina location.

Mission Critical Interior Solutions, also known as MCIS, said Tuesday that Orangeburg County would be the company’s first South Carolina operation. The $7.4 million investment is expected to bring almost 50 jobs to the area.

“MCIS choosing Orangeburg County for its new operation is great news for our county. This $7.4 million investment and 49 new jobs bring meaningful opportunities and strengthen the economic momentum we’ve been working toward,” Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright said in a statement. “We appreciate MCIS for choosing Orangeburg County, and we look forward to the lasting, positive impact this project will have for our residents.”

The company’s headquarters are located in Dallas, and it is known for creating and installing architectural features such as structural ceilings, containment and security cages for data centers.

It also helps to create and install conveyance systems for data centers.

The company is located in Springfield at 1014 Railroad Ave.

“Expanding into South Carolina is an exciting milestone for MCIS. This community reflects the same values that drive our company – hard work, integrity, and a commitment to the American workforce. Our new Springfield operation strengthens our ability to serve customers nationwide while creating opportunities for talented individuals who want to grow with a company that puts people first.” Principal and CRO of MCIS, Jason Coe, said in a statement.

Operations have already begun. The new location will specialize in the creation of conveyance systems that are designed to integrate with data center buildouts.

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