Gov. Henry McMaster and state Department of Employment and Workforce Executive Director Dan Ellzey were on hand Sept. 7 with other prominent figures in S.C. government and business at the Michelin factory in Lexington County to proclaim September as the state’s Workforce Development Month.

“There are more than 200 job fairs and workshops, dozens of visits by the Career Coach and the Be Pro Be Proud mobile workshop, discussion forums and roundtables, and weekly labor market information webinars. These events are virtual and in-person, some are statewide, while others are developed specifically for local areas. There are also events personalized for businesses, veterans, rural communities, jobseekers with barriers, and much more,” according to a press release.

Alexis Garcin noted how appropriate it was to hold the press conference at the Lexington County location the company has occupied since 1981.

“It is my pleasure to welcome you here in Lexington County at our facility,” he said. You are here today at the house of one of the most important factories for Michelin North America, a community of more than 1,600 people that are manufacturing a lot of the tires you might use if you were to buy a new car today.”

McMaster emphasized the importance of initiatives such as the ones that will be highlighted during the month in filling open jobs throughout the state.

“We in South Carolina, we as government understand that South Carolina’s business is business,” the Republican governor said, repeating one of his favorite refrains during what felt very much like a campaign trail event as he vies for re-election against Democrat Joe Cunningham in November. “Without business development and growth, you don’t have anything. You talk about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, well you can’t do any of that if you’re not living in a place that’s safe, where you can work, where you can build a career, and where you try to develop the talents that are close to your abilities.”

Subpoena Struck Down as District 5 Board Member Fights Ethics Charges

As of the Chronicle’s press deadline, one of three subpoenas issued in a state ethics case involving Lexington-Richland School District 5 had been struck down.

Attorneys representing board member Ken Loveless had been seeking to require Michael Montgomery, former attorney for the district, to answer questions under oath, The State reports.

“Montgomery had been subpoenaed to give a deposition in an ongoing ethics case against Loveless,” Bristow Merchant writes. “Also subpoenaed are the original complainant in the case, Kim Benson; former school board chairman Michael Cates; Contract Construction president Greg Hughes and former school board member Ed White.”

Though the others had asked to have their subpoenas thrown out as well, neither had been as the Chronicle went to press Sept. 13.

The subpoenas are part of the ongoing fight over charges that Loveless violated the state Ethics Act when work on Piney Wood Elementary, the construction of which he was overseeing, was given to Contract Construction, which was working with Loveless’ own company on another project.

Some Lexington County Gas Prices Slipping Below $3

Gas prices continued to drop in Lexington County as of Sept. 13, with some stations posting prices below $3.

The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded in the county was $3.222 (down from $3.339 a week prior), according to AAA.

Per GasBuddy, which ranks gas prices according to user data, the 10 cheapest stations in the county had prices between $2.89 and $2.97 as of Sept. 13.

The state average was $3.306 (down from $3.394), while the national average was $3.707 (down from $3.779).