SCDOT Announces Next Work on Carolina Crossroads Project

SCDOT officials announced the next phases of construction on the Carolina Crossroads project.

SCDOT announced in October of 2023 that the project would be restructured to improve project delivery and accelerate the widening of Interstate 20 in the Midlands.

Officials said the next phases of construction have been scheduled to advance the interstate widening projects on I-20 and the improvements to the I-126 and I-26 interchange while utility coordination and project development continue in the main interchange area.

Drivers in the area can expect to see clearing work continue throughout the project corridor, the officials said. This includes building demolitions and other clearing of the right of way.

The work will allow SCDOT to expedite the utility work needed to begin work on the system to system interchange, the officials said.

Construction on I-20 west of Bush River Road to widen the interstate has been accelerated and is anticipated to begin in 2025.

Concurrent with that project, an additional phase of work on the interchange of I-126 and I-26 is expected to go to construction in 2026.

Both of these phases of work have been accelerated and advanced to tie in with other widening and interchange improvement projects completing soon.

Said Secretary of Transportation Christy A. Hall: “Carolina Crossroads is one of the largest infrastructure projects in our state’s history and we recognize the critical nature of this project not just for the Midlands, but for our state as a whole."

Hall added, "Our commitment to this important project has not wavered and I feel confident that this new project structure is going to give us a better project at the end of the day.”

SCDOT will host an open house meeting for members of the community on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Dutch Square Center located at 421 Bush River Road in Columbia.

Members from the project team will be on hand to answer questions.

MOONDOG Animation Studio Grows South Carolina Footprint With Expansion in Charleston County

 MOONDOG Animation Studio (MOONDOG), an animation and immersive experiences company, said it is growing its South Carolina footprint with an expansion in Charleston County.

The company’s $90,000 investment will create 20 jobs in five years, according to Gov. Henry McMaster’s office.

Since establishing its Charleston County operations in 2013, MOONDOG has worked with clients to bring ideas to life through services such as story development, character design, animation, augmented and virtual reality experiences, and interactive content creation.

MOONDOG moved to a larger office in the Harbor Entrepreneur Center (HEC) and will add to the company’s in-person team.

The new space, located at 11 Ewall St. in Mount Pleasant, serves as the hub for MOONDOG’s animation activities and interactive experiences, including the development of feature films, TV series and immersive multimedia content.

Operations at HEC began in August 2023. Those interested in joining MOONDOG should go to the company’s careers page

Duke Energy Supports First Responders With $500,000 in Grant Opportunities For Emergency Preparedness in South Carolina

The Duke Energy Foundation is launching the third year of its $500,000 microgrant program to invest in emergency preparedness organizations across South Carolina to increase their resiliency to major weather events through advanced preparation, planning, equipment and training.

The application process is open now through April 12.

"When severe weather impacts communities across our state, we work alongside local emergency management and law enforcement teams to restore life back to normal," said Mike Callahan, Duke Energy's South Carolina state president.

Callahan added, "These grants will help provide our fellow first responders with the tools and training to handle whatever Mother Nature throws our way."

Nonprofits and governmental agencies across the state are eligible to apply and may request funds up to $20,000.

Grant applications may include, but are not limited to, projects that focus on:

* Equipment necessary for severe weather rescues to preserve human life.

* Emergency communication tools for severe weather scenarios.

* Specialized training for first responders for severe weather scenarios.

* Organized planning initiatives for communities to prepare for extreme weather.

* Community storm preparedness trainings, materials, kits or shelters.

* Improved outcomes for low-income communities experiencing extreme weather.

Since 2022, Duke Energy has provided 66 microgrants totaling $1 million to nonprofits and local agencies across the Palmetto State supporting training, essential equipment and life-saving technology to aid in disaster planning and response.

"In any type of major event, communication is a critical component of the public safety response to that event," said Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw. "The purchase of radio equipment last year, via the grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, will help public safety agencies in Oconee County accomplish those tasks more efficiently for the safety of our citizens, which is our number one priority."

Crenshaw added, "The grant allowed for the purchase of handheld radios that we will give to the South Carolina Highway Patrol as well as the Department of Natural Resources that will allow them to directly communicate with our deputies."

The Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work.

The foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.

February Isn't Over Just Yet

February gets an extra day this year and it’s for good reason, according to the Des Moines Register.

And not just because our friends born on leap year finally get to celebrate on Feb. 29, though we are happy for them, the Register’s website says.

It says a leap day exists to ensure our calendars align with Earth’s orbit, which in turn ensures our calendar aligns with our seasons.

The Register says, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, it takes Earth 365.2422 days to orbit the sun.

It says that's 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 56 seconds — so, not quite the 365 days we’ve come to know and observe.

And it says four years’ worth of that time we’ve tacked off roughly equals a full day, and therefore, leap day gets added to the calendar.

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