AROUND TOWN LINDA: 467-0334 ChuCk: 348-0243

Lexington County has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state. August Department of Employment and Workforce numbers show Lexington and Charleston counties are tied for lowest unemployment rate at 2.4%. Local unemployment has fallen from 3% this time last year.

Riverbanks to host Nat Geo star

Esteemed photographer and founder of the National Geographic Photo Ark Joel Sartore will be at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden Oct. 10. Guests will have an opportunity to visit with and hear from the award-winning Sartore about his most prized work to capture soulful and inspiring images of the world’s most endangered animals. Tickets are available at https://support.nature.org/site/Ticketing?view=Tickets&id=12709 . Gates open at 5:30 pm followed by Sartore’s Photo Ark presentation at 6:30 pm.

New service club

The Midlands Exchange Club has come to Lexington County. Known as America’s Service Club, Exchange joins more than 650 clubs and nearly 20,000 members throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. Residents of Columbia and Lexington County are invited to join. Activities include conducting child abuse prevention awareness campaigns, awarding scholarships to deserving youth, and participating in crime prevention and Americanism projects. For additional information about The Exchange Club of the Midlands, contact 419-535-3232 or info@nationalexchangeclub.org .

Suicide prevention walk

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in this country. It touches millions of lives, but the research is clear - suicide is preventable. Join the Columbia Out of The Darkness Community Walk to fight suicide Sunday, Oct. 27 at the Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park. The walk begins at 2 pm. Funds raised support the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and its goal to reduce the annual suicide rate in the United States 20% by 2025 through research, education, advocacy and support. For more information visit https://afsp.donor-drive.com .

New credit union

South Carolina Federal Credit Union has opened a Lexington County branch. The financial center is located at 5075 Sunset Blvd, Lexington. This location features 2 drive-thru lanes, an ATM, a self-service station, state-of-the-art security features and modern design. “We’ve proudly served Columbia for 35 years, and we’re looking forward to extending our services to the growing Lexington region,” said Scott Woods, President and CEO. “We aim to make banking as convenient as possible, and giving our members another option for in-person service helps us deliver on that promise.” Members can find updates at www.scfederal.org or on the credit union’s Facebook page.

Moving up

Southeastern Freight Lines has a new VP of human resources. Headquartered in Lexington, Southeastern Freigh is the leading provider of regional less-than-truckload transportation services. Slater has more than 8 years of experience at Southeastern, serving the last 3 years as human resources director.

Grant available

The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism is offering grant funding assistance from the Undiscovered South Carolina Grant Program. The program assists non-profit organizations and communities with the development of publicly-owned tourism products and attractions that will encourage visitation to South Carolina. It is a 50-50 match grant, and the minimum project amount must be $200,000. Find the letter of intent form at https://p.widencdn.net/rvo5lb/2019-Letter-of-Intent-Form . Intent forms must be received at SCPRT by Oct. 25. For more information, contact Dawn Dawson-House at ddawson@scprt.com or 803-734-1779.