AROUND TOWN

We feel honored when we see our veterans gain special recognition. Boyer Commercial Construction has received the US Department of Labor HIRE Vets Gold Medallion, the only federal veterans’ employment honor recognizing commitment to veteran hiring, retention and professional development. Boyer is the only SC general contractor in to earn the 2019 award and one of only 10 SC companies to receive the award. President and owner Brian Boyer said, “The skills developed in the military are easily transferrable to the construction industry. Attention to detail, teamwork, adherence to safety standards, leadership and dedication to mission success are the qualities our veterans bring.”

Sertoman of the Year

Buzz Lewis is the Lexington Sertoma Club’s 2019 Sertoman of the Year. The award is given annually to a member who has made exceptional contributions in the spirit of the club’s meaning - service to mankind. Since he joined in 2016, Lewis served in multiple leadership roles, including Sergeant at Arms and Chairman of the National Heritage Banquet. He helped coordinate fund raising events, including a golf tournament and Carolina-Clemson celebration. Lewis is a communications specialist with Sertoma International and has participated in training classes at the annual Sertoma Conference in Kansas City, MO.

Health insurance costs

The cheapest health insurance on the SC exchange for Lexington County residents is BlueEssentials Silver 14. ValuePenguin research found monthly rates for those age 40 would be $582 for a single person, $1,163 for a married couple and $1,511 for a couple with a child. ValuePenguin is a personal finance website that provides research on insurance. Their research showed that the most affordable health insurance buys on the state exchange depend on the coverage you choose to fit your budget and needs.

Election security

The small-business community is doing its part to ensure a fair election in 2020. Protect Democracy USA is a business campaign launched in August calling on Congress to pass legislation critically needed to protect the 2020 elections. Campaign coordinator Frank Knapp said, “Since we launched our campaign, we have begun working closely with the national project ‘Protect Democracy’ that filed a lawsuit in October, Inglis v. South Carolina.” The lawsuit alleges the SC Republican Party Executive Committee illegally cancelled its presidential primary in violation of its own rules and state law. The plaintiffs include former South Carolina Congressman Bob Inglis.

New West Columbia hotel

A new TownPlace Suites by Marriott is being built beside Freddy’s on Sunset Boulevard in West Columbia. It’s to open in the fall of 2020 according to a sign on the property, the Chronicle’s Terry Ward reported. The property is owned and managed by Solara Hospitality which owns and operates the Residence Inn by Marriott in Irmo on Lake Murray Boulevard and the TownePlace Suites by Marriott on Columbiana Drive. Solar’s most-recent project was the opening of the Residence Inn by Marriott across from Lexington Medical Center.

New owners

Jewelry Warehouse owner Scott Satterfield has found an investment group to buy his business on Sunset Boulevard. Satterfield lost his wife to cancer after 3 years of fighting. He told WISTV he was not able to run the business and help his wife through cancer treatments. Satterfield said he will stay on as a consultant and most employees will able to keep their jobs. “I am so thankful and give credit to the good lord above. The fact that we’ll be able to work with the new owners and that we’ll be able to see our customers again...Now I get to do what I love,” Satterfield said. The new owners are selling off all the inventory before reopening the store in March 2020. Jewelry Warehouse, will be open Monday through Thursday from 10 am - 6 pm and Friday and Saturday from 10 am - 7 pm.

Employment still strong

Congressman Joe Wilson reports payrolls surged by 266,000 employees, the unemployment rate remains low at 3.5% and hourly earnings rose by 3% last month. “In the November Jobs Report, job numbers were once again strong,” he said.

Pain-free injections

Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation is helping to ease fears at the doctor. A new partnership with National Medical Products Inc. – developer of the J-Tip Needle Free Injector – provides patients with easy-to-use and virtually pain-free delivery of anesthetic medications prior to medical procedures. Hospitals that use J-Tip can now use Nephron’s Pre-filled Buffered Lidocaine glass Luer lock syringes to fill the J-Tip. “Working together with the developers of J-Tip, we are making sure that the delivery of anesthetic medications is safe, easy-to-use and virtually pain-free because patients deserve nothing less,” said Nephron CEO Lou Kennedy. National Medical Products refined jet injections, a technology previously used by the military for vaccine delivery, to develop the J-Tip Needle-Free Injector.

Holiday caution

Before you pull out your wallet this year, the SC Department of Revenue and Department of Consumer Affairs advise caution. To report a concern about a charity or to file a scam complaint, call the SC Secretary of State’s Division of Public Charities at 1-888-242-7484. File a confidential complaint online with the SC Secretary of State using their Charitable Solicitation Complaint Form. For more information, visit consumer.sc.gov, sos.sc.gov, or dor.sc.gov/security center.