The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 3.1 percent from July’s estimate of 3.2 percent, according to the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce.

The seasonally adjusted, monthly survey of households estimated the number of South Carolinians working decreased to 2,320,187.

That is a decrease of 3,776 people over the July estimate. It's also a significant increase of 43,839 people over the August 2021 estimate.

The estimate of unemployed people decreased to 74,539.

That's a decrease of 1,122 people from July’s estimate and a significant decrease of 18,298 over the August 2021 estimate.

Nationally, the unemployment rate increased to 3.7 percent from July’s estimate of 3.5 percent, according to the Current Population Survey.

The state’s estimated labor force (people working plus unemployed people looking for work) decreased to 2,394,726 from July’s level of 2,399,624.

That is a decrease of 4,898 people over the July estimate, and an increase of 25,541 individuals over the August 2021 estimate.

The monthly survey of businesses in South Carolina marked an estimated increase of 9,600 nonfarm payroll jobs over the month to a level of 2,242,400.

Industries that reported gains were professional and business services (+3,900); trade, transportation, and utilities (+2,300); government (+2,000); manufacturing (+1,300); leisure and hospitality (+1,200); construction (+200); and financial activities (+100).

Education and health services (-1,000); other services (-200); and information (-100) industries declined.

From August 2021 to August 2022, South Carolina’s economy has picked up 86,000 seasonally adjusted, nonfarm jobs.

Kentucky-based industrial real estate development company Gray Development, a Gray company, is expanding its footprint in South Carolina with construction of a new 408,000 SF speculative facility on a 38-acre parcel of land in the Upstate. 

Completion of the Class-A industrial building is expected in the fourth quarter of 2023.

The building will be located at 1810 Easley Highway in Anderson County and fronts Interstate 85.

Located in the Anderson County industrial corridor, the location will offer prospective tenants’ immediate access to Easley Highway (SC-8) and is 32.3 miles from the South Carolina Inland Port, 16 miles from downtown Greenville and 26 miles from the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.

Gray Construction built two projects for Michelin North America in the area.

For the project, Gray selected Alliance Consulting Engineers for civil engineering, Kovert Hawkins Architects, Inc., a subsidiary of Tower Pinkster Titus Associates, Inc. for architectural design, and THS Constructors, Inc. as the general contractor. 

Leasing opportunities remain available within the development in coordination with CBRE.

Eastern Eye Care, founded by Shawn Thomas, O.D., has joined the growing US Eye network of eye care practices.

The addition of Eastern Eye Care continues US Eye’s expansion throughout coastal South Carolina and adds a presence in the growing Grand Strand area, centered around Myrtle Beach.

The expansion follows US Eye’s entry into the Hilton Head area in 2021.

Through the US Eye partnership, Eastern Eye Care will be affiliated with Carolina Eyecare Physicians, a multi-specialty, multi-location ophthalmology and optometry practice based in Charleston, S.C.

The addition of Eastern Eye Care brings the total number of US Eye practice locations to 64 across the Southeastern United States.

Eastern Eye Care will integrate its operations, procedures, and service offerings with Carolina Eyecare Physicians, expanding the practice network further throughout coastal South Carolina.

Junior League of Charleston wants to spread awareness of the essential need of diapers. 

Starting Saturday, Sept. 24, the Junior League of Charleston (JLC) Diaper Bank will host diaper drives in conjunction with National Diaper Need Awareness Week.

National Diaper Need Awareness Week is an initiative created by the National Diaper Bank Network to draw attention and mobilize community efforts to end diaper need, an often overlooked and hidden consequence of poverty.

JLC officials say there are several ways the community can support the diaper bank and National Diaper Need Awareness Week, Sept. 24 to Oct. 2, to help spread awareness and address the critical and ongoing need. 

Diapers donated to the JLC Diaper Bank will be distributed throughout various local organizations to ease the daily financial burden facing many families throughout the Lowcountry. 

Monetary donations will be used to purchase the most requested diapers by partner organizations.  

JLC officials say one in three American families struggle to afford enough diapers to keep their baby clean, dry and healthy.

The officials say no state or federal child safety-net program allocates dollars specifically for the purchase of diapers; WIC and SNAP are nutrition-based programs and don’t cover diapers, the officials say.

Between June 1, 2021 – June 1, 2022, the JLC Diaper Bank distributed more than 119,700 diapers and pull-up training pants to families in need.