The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is providing funding to South Carolina in support of response efforts to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

President Trump last week signed an $8.3 billion spending bill to fund efforts to fight the spreading corona virus.

South Carolina will receive $8,926,132 from the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act.

The funds will allow public health leaders to implement critical steps necessary to contain and mitigate spread of the virus in communities across the country, said CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, M.D.

For more information about the virus, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

County in good financial health

Lexington County has been recognized for its good financial health.

Moody’s Investor Service awarded the county the Aaa-bond rating, meaning the county has strong financial fundamentals, is financially predictable and has a strong operating environment.

The new rating allows the county to save an estimated $950,000 in interest on $12.8 million in bonds over the next 8 years.

2010 and 2013 general obligation bonds were used to build the Marc H. Westbrook Judicial Center and the Saxe Gotha Industrial Park.

Lexington opens $5.6M solid waste facility

County of Lexington officials celebrated the opening of its new Lexington County Solid Waste Transfer Station Expansion Mar. 12.

The expanded facility, located at 498 Landfill Lane in the Edmund Community, cost $5.6 million and took 2 years to build.

It will serve the disposal needs of the County’s residents and commercial businesses for the next 20 years, said Council Chairman Scott Whetstone.

Waste is transported from the facility in tractor trailers to final disposal at the Waste Management Landfill located in Richland County.

The 17,560-square-foot building includes 5 vehicle bays and a large tipping hall for collection vehicle dumping, and hydraulic cranes used to pack the waste into tractor trailer trucks.

Lexington Wine Walk announced

The Town of Lexington’s 10th annual Lexington Wine Walk will be May 9 at the Icehouse Amphitheater.

From 6-10 pm enjoy wine, food samples and live music by Going Commando.

Tickets are $30 in advance/$40 the week of the event. A commemorative wine glass is included. Purchase tickets at http://bit.ly/LexingtonWineWalk .

All attendees must be 21 years of age or older, and have valid ID to enter. This is a rain or shine event.

The Wine Walk is presented by the Lexington Beautification Foundation, with support from the Town of Lexington. All proceeds benefit the Lexington Beautification Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization and go towards the expansion and renovation of Virginia Hylton Park.

UofSC to purchase floodplain land

The University of South Carolina plans to buy 547 acres of property in a floodplain near the Congaree River off I-77.

The Post and Courier reported the school plans to spend up to $3 million on the land, partially owned by a Myrtle Beach company with ties to 2 of the school’s trustees.

USC could build recreation fields and conduct agricultural research on the property near Heathwood Hall Episcopal School south of downtown Columbia that was part of a $1 billion venture called Green Diamond.

When first proposed 20 years ago, Green Diamond was a self-described “city within a city,” supposed to have subdivisions, golf courses, an outlet mall, restaurants, hotels, offices, a research and development park, a theme park and a wildlife expo.

The massive project was never developed over Richland County and federal construction restrictions on a floodplain.

COMET responds to corona virus

The Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority has taken measures to prevent the corona virus disease from affecting passengers.

COMET has implemented:

• Increased frequency of bio-clean disinfection of its fleet to nightly as well as augmented the cleaning of The COMET Central transit center to every 30 minutes.

• Suspending service of the downtown circular, The Soda Cap Connector buses and trolleys beginning Mar. 17.

• All service will move from a normal schedule to a Saturday schedule beginning Mar. 19.

• DART services will still be available to those individuals needing paratransit. However, The COMET requests that appointments be limited to only essential travel (i.e., physician visits, pharmacy, grocery, etc.).

• Trips on fixed-route service should be limited to essential travel.

• Any passengers experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should not travel on public transit.

Those passengers needing bus passes are encouraged to purchase them online at www.catchTheCOMET.org or through The COMET app.

The COMET serves Lexington and Richland counties.

$43K in back wages paid

A Lexington-based business violated federal overtime requirements and now must pay.

The UC Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found Lucas Builders Inc. owed $43,663 in back wages and liquidated damages to 15 employees.

WHD investigators found the residential construction company violated FLSA overtime requirements when the employer paid employees straight time rates for all the hours that they worked.

This practice resulted in violations when employees worked more than 40 hours in a workweek but were not paid overtime at time-and-one-half their regular rates of pay.

Lucas Builders also misclassified some employees as independent contractors and failed to pay them overtime.