In Our Community...

**FCGC- Coach Beamer**

The Florence County Gamecock Club Presents their Annual “Gamecock Football Luncheon” with Head Coach Shane Beamer on Tuesday, May 25 at the SiMT Conference Center at FDTC. The doors will open at 11:30am with food being provided by Roger’s BBQ House. Pre-paid tickets are $20 and $25 at the door. Tickets are on sale at both Micky Finn’s locations, 194 S. Cashua Drive & 550 Pamplico Hwy; Roger’s BBQ House at 2004 Second Loop Rd: The Jernigan Law Firm at 602 Second Loop Rd or thru one of the Florence County Gamecock Club Board of Directors members. For more informationplease contact Florence County Gamecock Club President Scat Scaturro at 843-621-8008.

**Mayor's Coalition Blessings To Go**

The Mayor's Coalition, No One Unsheltered Committee. They will be providing free food to the homeless/public this Saturday (May 19) at the corner of Cashua Drive and Darlington Street from 11 am to 1 pm. This is the third "Blessings to Go" event-- the last two had great turn outs! We hope you will consider helping us get the word out! Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

**K-Shaped Recovery Gives Way To Great Resurgence**

“This summer should mark the end of the K-Shaped Recovery and the beginning of the Great Resurgence—assuming we continue to gain control over the pandemic and that policymakers reject tax increases that would punish job creators at this critical moment,” writes Chamber President and CEO Suzanne Clark in a blog post today.

Why it matters: “Government alone did not move our nation out of this crisis, but government alone could increase the time it takes to recover from it,” she notes.

Be smart: “The Chamber will fight tirelessly against job-killing policies like the PRO Act, a national $15 minimum wage, and disastrous policies under consideration in the tax space,” Clark explains. “This includes increasing the U.S. corporate tax rate to the highest in the industrialized world, returning the U.S. to a system of global rather than territorial taxation, increasing the capital gains tax by 82%, and raising taxes on small businesses.”

Looking ahead: “Behind every challenge is an opportunity,” Clark writes. “As we begin to fully emerge from the greatest public health crisis in a century, we have the chance to initiate a period of broad-based economic growth that lifts all Americans—and the world. Let’s not squander it by punishing the job creators who have made it possible.

**Governor Directs DEW To Stop SC Participation In Federal Pandemic Related Unemployment Benefit Programs**

This week, Governor Henry McMaster sent a letter to Director Dan Ellzey (SC Department of Employment and Workforce) to terminate South Carolina's participation in all federal, pandemic-related unemployment benefit programs, effective June 30, 2021.

These programs include:

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)

Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (EPUC)

Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation (MEUC)

Emergency Unemployment Relief for Governmental Entities and Nonprofit Organizations

Temporary Federal Funding of the First Week of Compensable Regular Unemployment for States with No Waiting Week

DEW outlines each program and what will change in this memo to the Governor. Currently, South Carolina has over 80,000 open jobs, and several industries are facing enormous workforce shortages that threaten their growth and sustainability.

**Myrtle Beach SkyWheel To Celebrate 10th Birthday With Grand Reopening**

Following months away for refurbishment and improvements, the Myrtle Beach SkyWheel is back home and announcing its grand reopening party. Just in time to celebrate the SkyWheel’s 10th birthday, the event is planned for Thursday, May 20 and will include ‘surprise and delight’ giveaways, food and drink specials, locals’ discounts and more.

SkyWheel Myrtle Beach was completely disassembled in January 2021 and sent to Chance Rides Manufacturing in Wichita, Kansas, for a complete overhaul. Updates include new paint; new flooring and seat coverings inside the gondolas; and a decorative exterior light-up center globe, as well as the main structure, spokes and ring beam. When it reopens later this month, new features include an enhanced, 15-minute light show that will kick off daily at dusk followed by 5-minute light shows hourly until closing time. The new, state-of-the-art lighting system was made in the USA and includes nearly 1 million LED lights, creating a dynamic show for every occasion.