Small businesses that received Paycheck Protection Program Loans can now apply for loan forgiveness.

The Small Business Administration and Department of the Treasury released the application and instructions on the Treasury’s website at https://home.treasury.gov/ .

The PPP was created by the CARES Act to provide forgivable loans to eligible small businesses to keep American workers on the payroll during the covid-19 pandemic.

Read more on the SBA forgiveness application on page A4.

Lake Murray beer garden

Lake Murray’s new beer garden opened in Leesville last week.

FishWater Beer Garden at 3340 Hwy 378 can be reached by land or lake.

Owner Andrew Colton told ColaDaily that the dog-friendly venue will have live music every Saturday afternoon and outdoor patio seating where customers can enjoy draft beers and wine slushies.

A full menu will be introduced in the coming weeks.

There will be a new pontoon-style catamaran named The Osprey on-site which will begin offering lake tours late June.

Visitors welcome

The Lexington Chamber and Visitors Center will be open to the public beginning Monday, June 1.

Visitors are welcome Monday-Thursday from 9 am - 5 pm. and Friday from 9-1.

For questions regarding meeting and event space, please contact Visitors Center Coordinator Sonja Sharpe at (803) 359-6113 ext 100 or visitor@lexingtonsc.org .

Dollar General promotes literacy

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is awarding $161,000 in literacy grants to South Carolina nonprofit organizations.

White Knoll Middle and Rocky Creek Elementary Schools each received $2,000 grants to fund summer, family and adult literacy programs.

The foundation awarded more than $8.6 million to approximately 970 nonprofit organizations, libraries and schools to support literacy.

West Columbia ‘superlawyer’

Joseph D. Dickey, Jr., managing partner of the Dickey Law Group, has been selected for the 2020 edition of SuperLawyers in the area of Employment and Labor Law.

Dickey earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he served as President of the International Law Society.

Currently managing his law practice and residing in West Columbia with his wife and daughter. Dickey was also elected as a city councilman in West Columbia in 2019.

Chamber excellence

The Lexington Chamber and Visitors Center received a 2020 Communication Excellence Award from The Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.

The award was given in recognition of the Chamber’s advertising and marketing efforts for the inaugural Dining On The Dam that hosted nearly 1,300 guests on Lexington’s most recognized landmark, the Lake Murray Dam.

The Communication Excellence Awards recognize outstanding communications efforts by chambers of commerce in the Carolinas.

Help for nonprofits

Riggs Partners will hold its 23rd annual CreateAthon event to benefit area nonprofits October 22-23.

CreateAthon is a 24-hour creative marathon during which professionals provide marketing services to nonprofit organizations on a pro bono basis.

South Carolina’s Midlands and Upstate nonprofits can submit a CreateAthon application by July 17.

Applications now are available at www. riggspartners.com . Selected nonprofits will be notified in late August.

School counselor of the year

Dorothya Nero has been named South Carolina CTE School Counselor of the Year.

Nero is Director of School Counseling at Irmo High School in Lexington-Richland School District 5.

This award recognizes her leadership in delivering a quality career guidance program while providing a seamless transition for the students of Irmo High School as they embark on their college and career goals.

She will be recognized by the South Carolina Department of Education at the annual South Carolina Education and Business Summit July 21 in Greenville.

Keeping West Columbia beautiful

The West Columbia Beautification Foundation planted 172 new shrubs and plants along Sunset Boulevard in April.

The new plantings can be found in front of local businesses By His Design, Our Savior Lutheran Church, East Point Academy, Liz Portee State Farm Insurance, and Capital Electric.

The Foundation used the money raised at recent fundraisers such as the Taste on the River and Tribute for Trees to fund the plantings.

Habitat gives out PPE

Habitat for Humanity has joined the fight against covid-19 in a big way.

As of May 1, they have distributed nearly $50,000 worth of personal protection equipment, the Chronicle’s Chuck McCurry reported.

That includes 4,200 hazmat suits, 1,000 hand sanitizer kits to law enforcement, food to families in need and other supplies.

Served by the donations are PRISMA HEALTH, Lexington Medical Center and SC Department of Corrections. The hand sanitizer kits went to the SC Highway Patrol, Cayce Public Safety and Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

Visit www.habitatsc.org or call 803-252-3570 to make a donation.