Veterans Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on Nov. 11 to honor military veterans of the United States Armed Forces.

According to Military.com, Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on Nov. 11, 1918.

In legislation that was passed in 1938, Nov. 11 was "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.' "

As such, the new legal holiday honored World War I veterans.

Military.com, a news and resource website for military members, veterans and their families, also says that in 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress -- at the urging of veterans service organizations -- amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans."

With the approval of the legislation on June 1, 1954, Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

In 1968, according to the website, the Uniform Holiday Monday Act ensured three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and  Columbus Day.

Under the bill, Veterans Day was moved to the fourth Monday of October. Many states did not agree with the decision and continued to celebrate the holiday on its original date.

The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on Oct. 25, 1971. 

Finally on Sept. 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law that returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of Nov. 11, beginning in 1978, the website says.

Since then, the Veterans Day holiday has been observed on Nov. 11.

Visual Comfort & Co., a resource of signature designer lighting, architectural lighting and ceiling fans, announced plans to establish distribution operations in Spartanburg County.

The project will result in a $62 million investment and create 125 jobs over the next five years, according to the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

Located at Smith Farms Industrial Park in Greer, Visual Comfort & Co.’s new distribution facility will serve the company’s growing demand for years to come, Commerce officials said. 

Operations are expected to commence in January 2023. Those interested in joining Visual Comfort & Co. should email resumes to the company.

The state’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved a $300,000 Set-Aside grant to Spartanburg County to assist with building improvement costs.

The South Carolina Boating & Fishing Alliance submitted formal comments to the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), asking the agencies to pause the proposed speed restriction due to the lack of industry input, scientific rationale, and the disregard of constitutional, administrative, and public policy concerns.

The new rule would expand the 10-knot (11.5 mph) speed restriction to vessels 35 feet and greater, expand the speed restriction zones, and extend the time the regulations are in effect to roughly six months (Nov. 1 – April 15). This is all to protect the North Atlantic Right Whale (NARW) population. 

The problem: Despite repeated requests by the S.C. Boating and Fishing Alliance, NMFS has been unable to identify a single instance of a 35-foot to 65-foot boat striking a right whale off the South Carolina coast.

With public input and industry insight, the SCBFA Ownership Group, Chairman Chris Butler, and CEO Gettys Brannon sent a letter to NOAA expressing the industry’s concerns. Alliance officials say the proposed rule puts the boating and fishing industry, a crucial economic source for states along the East Coast, at risk. 

Read Entire Letter

Some key points, according to the alliance:

No Authority

NOAA lacks the authority to enforce the proposed rule. 

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled countless times that federal agencies only have regulatory authority granted to them by Congress.

Enforcing this rule would be a vast bureaucratic overreach and utterly unconstitutional.

No Facts

The proposal is trying to restrict something that has never happened. 

NMFS has only identified one NAWR vessel strike in South Carolina waters. The incident occurred in 2011. The vessel was over 65 feet long, and its speed is unknown. 

NMFS has yet to identify one incident involving a vessel 35’- 65’ anywhere in the offshore waters from Georgia to New Jersey. 

No Logic

Decreasing the speed will increase the risk — with decreased speed larger surface area will be in the water.

By drastically reducing the speed, the vessels subjected to the new regulation would have an increased chance of exposure to NARWs and prolong the duration of the exposure. 

Save the Whales or the Climate?

NFMS claimed its proposal would support the Biden Administration’s climate change agenda by reducing fossil fuel emissions.

NOAA has no authority to regulate fuel consumption, emissions, or climate change considerations.

Economic Risk

Recreational fishing generates billions of dollars on the east coast.

The fishing trips that would be affected by the proposed regulation would negatively impact the $5.1 billion boating and fishing industry in South Carolina.

The charter fishing industry would dry up because there would no longer be a demand.

NMMA has reported a loss of $8 million in sales due to the risk of the regulation.

In-state sales of fishing equipment, marinas, and dock builders would plummet.

South Carolina’s hospitality and tourism industry – one of the state’s most vital sources of revenue – will suffer greatly due to the lack of participation.

Local communities that rely heavily on tax revenue from the industry would see a drastic reduction in revenue.

Lives are at Risk

The proposed restriction would not allow for single-day outings, leading to overnight stays on the water by multiple occupants, many of whom are not adequately trained for those circumstances.

Prolonging the trips also increases the risk of encountering dangerous weather. 

Violates the Constitution

Congress holds the authority to issue regulatory rights to federal agencies, which NOAA lacks with the proposed regulation. 

Using AIS data to determine vessel types and sizes violates the Fourth Amendment, which protects Americans from unreasonable search and seizure. 

Hiding Information

The proposed regulation has yet to appear on the rulemaking docket or the agency’s website. 

NOAA and NMFS failed to make the most basic information about the proposed regulation available to the public during the August public meetings and again in September after receiving a letter from SCBFA requesting an extension of the public comment period. 

The University of South Carolina’s School of Music announced that Greene Street United Methodist Church will become the future home of its jazz program.

Dean Tayloe Harding said the dedicated space shows the school’s commitment to making the university a destination for jazz studies. 

“There is likely no other major jazz program in the country that will offer a stand-alone facility of this nature that has a historic connection to the community and will also provide students with a modern, world-class educational experience,” Harding said.

The announcement builds on the long-standing partnership between the School of Music and the church congregation. Since 2009, joint community outreach efforts have included hosting school concerts and children’s music lessons in the church, which is located near the school on the corner of Greene and Assembly streets. 

The USC Development Foundation purchased the church from the United Methodist Conference in 2020 for $1.1 million, and through a lease agreement with the university, will allow the jazz studies program to use the church buildings for concert performances, practice space, and offices.

The church congregation will continue worshipping in the sanctuary for the next five years with the opportunity to extend that time. 

“It’s a step toward a new identity as a congregation and it is a win for everybody,” said the Rev. Lex McDonald, former pastor of the church. “The School of Music gets beautiful, ample space it really needed, and the congregation gets a place to worship for now and for their beloved building to remain intact.”

Renovations began in August 2022, funded by $2.5 million in university institutional capital improvement funds. The renovations will preserve the building structures, leaving the historic sanctuary intact.

Faculty offices and studios have been added, and a main rehearsal and classroom space will be completed by summer 2023.

The School of Music anticipates that a second phase of the renovations would add more offices, a small library and student canteen space. There are also plans for upgrading lighting and audio in the sanctuary for campus and public performances. 

Basement improvements could create student rehearsal and practice space, a recording control room and a café with space for live music that could be operated in partnership with the university’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management.

University officials said enhancing the School of Music’s jazz program will address a statewide void in jazz education, which is offered at only a handful of South Carolina high schools.

They said USC’s jazz studies program produces innovative modern music professionals who can improvise, compose and collaborate as artists.