Press Release

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $3.3 million grant to the city of Walterboro, South Carolina, for the construction of new sewer lines in support of economic growth in a region impacted by the declining use of coal. This grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan and EDA’s $300 million Coal Communities Commitment.

This project will provide the wastewater infrastructure capacity needed to service a new manufacturing firm and to accommodate other existing and future business needs. The EDA investment will be matched with $814,375 in local funds and is expected to create 50 jobs and generate $1.9 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.

“President Biden is committed to supporting communities as they work to create economic opportunity and build a better America,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment will provide the wastewater treatment capacity necessary for local businesses to create jobs and build economic resiliency in the region.”

“The Economic Development Administration is pleased to support Walterboro and its community as it works to grow the region’s economy,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This EDA investment will provide for modern water infrastructure to give the region a competitive advantage in attracting new businesses and jobs, making the local economy more resilient and better equipped to overcome future economic disruptions.”

“I am pleased the EDA is using American Rescue Plan funding to support communities like Walterboro that have been impacted by the closing of coal plants,” said Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06). “This investment in water infrastructure in the city will support new economic development needs and the creation of local jobs. It is a great example of federal investments addressing the needs of local communities.”

This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Lowcountry Economic Development District (LEDD). EDA funds LEDD to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment and create jobs.

This project is funded under EDA’s American Rescue Plan Economic Adjustment Assistance program, which makes $500 million in Economic Adjustment Assistance grants available to American communities. The Economic Adjustment Assistance program is EDA’s most flexible program, and grants made under this program will help hundreds of communities across the nation plan, build, innovate, and put people back to work through construction or non-construction projects designed to meet local needs.

EDA’s Coal Communities Commitment allocates $300 million of EDA’s $3 billion American Rescue Plan appropriation to support coal communities as they recover from the pandemic and to help them create new jobs and opportunities, including through the creation or expansion of a new industry sector. Specifically, EDA has dedicated $100 million of its Build Back Better Regional Challenge funds and $200 million of its Economic Adjustment Assistance funds to directly support coal communities. Effective May 26, 2022, EDA has officially closed all of its American Rescue Plan programs for applications. The $3 billion program funding will be awarded on a rolling basis through September 30, 2022.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov) The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.

The historic St. Jude’s Church in downtown Walterboro has been saved and will not be forced to hand over its church and property to The Episcopal Church. Now, the church is operating as an Anglican Church. On May 5th, leaders with the St. Jude’s Church filed a Petition for Rehearing. The Revised Opinion came out August 17th. Thus, the congregation can continue to workshop on site and will not be required to hand over their church and other properties. This ruling is a Revised Opinion issued by the S.C. Supreme Court. The court’s original ruling said St. Jude’s was one of 14 churches across South Carolina that had to give their property, including the land and church buildings, to The Episcopal Church. However, the local church countered, and asked the S.C. Supreme Court for a new hearing. “We are overjoyed with this final ruling from the S.C. Supreme Court. This past season has been taxing but we trusted in the Lord and prayed that His Holy Spirit would guide us through this wilderness season,” said Newman Lawrence, rector of St. Jude’s Church in Walterboro. “We can’t wait to get back into community ministry and share the Gospel more fully here in Walterboro and Colleton County.”

This original ruling is part of a 10-year-long lawsuit, where multiple churches in South Carolina broke away from The Episcopal Church. Then, The Episcopal Church filed suit against them, saying they rightfully owned the properties. Since that original S.C. Supreme Court ruling, many other churches have left their properties and/or closed their doors to comply with the high court’s ruling. “In 2012, St. Jude’s voted as a church body to disaffiliate with The Episcopal Church along with the majority of parishes and the Diocese that made up the Lowcountry, Peedee, and Grand Strand areas. This departure was based on theological issues rooted in upholding the authority of Scripture which is a priority for us,” said Lawrence. “For decades, The Episcopal Church had strayed away from that authority of Scripture and it was clear that a “social gospel” was more prominent in many of the teachings coming from that organization. St. Jude’s and the Diocese later affiliated with the Anglican Church of North America, a denomination that worships in the historical Anglican tradition. “Over the last 10 years, St. Jude’s has been caught up in a lawsuit over whether or not that disaffiliation allowed them retain ownership of the property they operated, built, and maintained for generations. This case was argued in both District and State Courts multiple times and the results seemingly varied in any given ruling, but after filing a Petition for Rehearing on May 5, the facts of St. Jude’s case have finally prevailed.” Lawrence said the new ruling has St. Jude’s prepared for “new ministry opportunities” in the Colleton County community. The local church will now be focused on mission and ministry in the community, and will continue with traditional Sunday morning worship services. “We will be good stewards not only of the property we have been blessed with but also of the Gospel we are entrusted to share with others, fulfilling the commandment to love God and our neighbors,” he said. St. Jude’s Church in Walterboro was established in 1855. https://www.loc8nearme.com/south-carolina/walterboro/st-jude-s-church/6831952/

The downtown portion of Walterboro has been a critical part of the city for more than a century. It’s the hub for local business owners. It’s a place for local residents to take a stroll and enjoy shopping and food. Moreover, it can be seen as the entrance into the city’s historical core. East Washington Street, or “Main Street”, leads visitors and residents to many of Walterboro’s historic homes, educational centers, and to the city’s nationally-preserved sites. For these reasons, and a few more, leaders of the City of Walterboro have been working to build a master plan for the downtown area.

This plan has been in process for many years. Now that planning is starting to take shape, as Walterboro City Council and the city’s administrative heads are taking deliberate steps to help boost the city’s downtown area – and to preserve it.

As part of an overall master plan that they are developing for Downtown Walterboro, members of the city’s leadership team will soon submit an application to the Municipal Association of South Carolina’s Main Street South Carolina Program. This is a technical assistance program that helps communities who are revitalizing their historic downtown areas.

According to Jeff Molinari, the town administrator for the City of Walterboro, this program “encourages economic development and historic preservation.” These are two goals that Walterboro leaders have for its downtown.

The application for assistance will happen in September, said Molinari.

The program itself works with many municipalities throughout South Carolina. By working to improve downtown areas, the program focuses on building community pride, creating more jobs, preserving historic buildings and attracting new businesses who want to be in a revitalized downtown district.

In addition to working with the municipal association’s Main Street South Carolina program, Walterboro leaders have also tweaked a local position. The city’s former Tourism Director position has been changed to a Director of Tourism and Downtown Development. “The newly classified position will have a much stronger focus on downtown,” said Molinari.

The person who will be carrying this new role is Scott Grooms, who wills start in his new role on September 12, 2022.

More information on Grooms and his role with the city will be in a future issue of this newspaper.

All of these efforts to keep Walterboro’s downtown area growing and preserved are part of the city’s overall Comprehensive Plan. This is a document that outlines all goals and plans for Walterboro through 2030.

The plan itself was adopted by Walterboro City Council in April of this year and focuses on elected leaders’ vision for the Walterboro community. That vision says the city will build on its historical background, protect and enhance natural resources, and provide more opportunities for residents in the areas of education, art, recreation, culture, industry, commercial growth and tourism.

One of the goals listed in the city’s plan is to “clean and shape” Ireland Creek. Leaders also want to establish rural land programs (like creating a new voluntary agriculture district program) that will protect rural lands in the city.

City leaders also want to manage the city’s historical and cultural resources, create more green space in the city for public use, add to the educational and entertainment line-up at the Walterboro Wildlife Center and Amphitheater, and continue to enhance historic sites in the city.

To achieve this last goal, Walterboro City Council has already adopted the Bailey Bill, which gives incentives to people who renovate and preserve historic commercial buildings in the city’s Historic Overlay District.

The Comprehensive Plan is available for anyone to look through. It is available on the city’s website at www.walterborosc.org.

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Residents living in rural parts of Colleton County who find themselves in a life-threatening emergency now have hope of being saved, even before they are driven or flown to a hospital.

Rural residents can now be given whole blood at the scene of an emergency by paramedics.

This is new program, called Whole Blood Administration, was created by Colleton County Fire-Rescue, the emergency and fire response organization that takes care of the entire county.

“The main purpose of the Blood Project is to increase the chances of survival for critical patients. There is no substitute for blood replacement other than whole blood,” said Colleton County Fire-Rescue Chief Barry McRoy. “We are an hour from a trauma center and trauma surgeon, so the administration of blood in the field buys the patient valuable time.”

“So far, it’s working,” he continued, adding that this program has helped saved lives throughout Colleton County.

McRoy said this project has changed the scope of practice for all paramedics in South Carolina, allowing a properly-trained paramedic to administer blood before a patient gets to a trauma center.

Colleton County Fire-Rescue was recently awarded for this program by the S.C. Municipal Association, who presented awards to several counties who are helping communities across the Palmetto State. The awards were given to Colleton County Fire-Rescue and other winning counties during its annual 3-day conference, which began on August 1st and was held at the Isle of Palms, near Mt. Pleasant in Charleston.

Colleton received the J. Mitchell Graham Memorial Honorable Mention award for counties with populations less than 50,000 people.

“Colleton County’s Fire-Rescue Department improved access to urgent trauma care in rural parts of the county by creating the pre-hospital, Whole Blood Administration pilot program that allows paramedics to administer whole blood products in ambulances,” the competition’s head judge, William E. Tomes said. “This lifesaving treatment is becoming a standard of practice in South Carolina.”

McRoy thanked Colleton County administrators and Colleton County Council for their help in getting the program running.

Other counties who won an award include Beaufort County, who won the 2022 J. Mitchell Graham Memorial Award. Beaufort County received this award for creating a decal system at all Beaufort County landfill/trash collection centers.

Beaufort County doesn’t have its own landfill. This new decal system creates a free way for Beaufort County property owners to discard of trash, up to three times each week.

“Without a landfill of its own, Beaufort County implemented a decal system in the fall of 2021 that saved the county thousands of dollars,” said William E. Tomes, Fellow, Joseph P. Riley Jr. Center for Livable Communities, College of Charleston, who served as head judge. “The system regulates entrance into and usage of county collection centers. It also reduces operational costs, traffic and environmental concerns caused by the misuse of centers by businesses, contractors, and out-of-county residents.”

During the award ceremony, Pickens and Anderson counties also received the J. Mitchell Graham Memorial Honorable Mention award.

Pickens County won honorable mention in the category of a county having between 50,000 and 150,000 people. They received the award for trying to help reduce the suicide rate in Pickens County-according to the S.C. Municipal Association, Pickens County has the highest suicide rate in South Carolina.

Anderson County won their honorable mention award in the category of a county with more than 150,000 people. They received their award for Anderson County’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) actions during COVID-19. The county’s EMS transformed itself into a two-tier response system, putting paramedics into Quick Response Vehicles instead of ambulances. This doubled the county’s emergency response capabilities during the pandemic.

According to information provided by the S.C. Association of Counties, a video of the awards can be seen at www.SCCounties.org/awards/video-library.

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PRESS RELEASE - WASHINGTON, August 25, 2022—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today awarded over $591,000 in Fiscal Year 2022 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funding to South Carolina. This USDA grant will help the South Carolina Department of Agriculture fund projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the state and support specialty crop growers through marketing, education, and research.

“USDA applauds South Carolina’s continued commitment to supporting our nation’s producers of fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The projects funded will foster innovative research and new market opportunities within the specialty crop sector, while furthering USDA’s goals of creating a more fair and equitable food system and supporting local and regional producers.”

The SCBGP will fund 13 projects through the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. Among the projects is more than $57,000 in funding allocated to Ace Basin Growers, a non-profit organization, which will work to enhance competitiveness of specialty crop growers in South Carolina through a collaborative multi-organizational project. Additionally, over $49,000 has been allocated to develop a novel preharvest spray program to improve the yield of marketable peaches at harvest. SCBGP funding will also be used to fund specialty crop focused research programs at Clemson University.

“Specialty Crop Block Grants allow us to help farmers across South Carolina realize their goals of increased production and market expansion,” said South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers. “Through targeted funding, we’re improving access to fresh, locally grown food for South Carolinians and helping open up opportunities for farms of all sizes.”

The funding to South Carolina is part of a total of $72.9 million in non-competitive FY 2022 SCBGP funding awarded to 55 states, territories and the District of Columbia. The SCBGP funding supports farmers growing specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops. USDA’s support will strengthen U.S. specialty crop production and markets, ensuring an abundant, affordable supply of highly nutritious fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops, which are vital to the health and well-being of all Americans.

The funding for the SCBGP grants is authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill and FY2022 funding is awarded for a three-year period beginning September 30, 2022. Since 2006, USDA has invested more than $953 million through the SCBGP to fund 11,331 projects that have increased the long-term successes of producers and broadened the market for specialty crops in the U.S. and abroad.

More information about these awards is available on this webpage: https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/SCBGPDescriptionofFunds2022.pdf

https://www.ams.usda.gov/content/usda-announces-specialty-crop-block-grant-program-funding-awarded-south-carolina

USDA Contact Info: Public Affairs, PA@usda.gov, (202) 720-8998. SCDA Contact Info: Eva Moore, emoore@scda.sc.gov, 803-734-2196