South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced he has agreed to settlements with Teva, Allergan, CVS, and Walgreens for their roles in the opioid crisis. 

Wilson said the companies have agreed to pay more than $17.3 billion to resolve claims nationally over the next 15 years.

Assuming complete participation by its counties and eligible cities, South Carolina’s share of the funds from these settlements is $242 million, Wilson said.. 

In addition to the monetary recovery, CVS and Walgreens, along with Walmart in a settlement that Wilson announced last month, have agreed to injunctive relief that requires the pharmacies to monitor, report, and share data about suspicious activity related to opioid prescriptions.

Teva and Allergan have agreed to a prohibition on promoting opioids, both directly and through third-party front groups, and engaging in opioid-related lobbying activities, Wilson said.

He said the companies must also turn over millions of documents produced in litigation to the public. The injunctive relief will help ensure a crisis like this doesn't happen again, Wilson said. 

He said that under the terms of these agreements, counties and eligible cities will have an opportunity to review the terms and sign on during the first quarter of 2023.

As in previous settlements with the three major opioid distributors and with Johnson & Johnson, nearly all of the settlement funds must be used to abate the opioid crisis, Wilson said.

Abatement measures include education, prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services. 

With full participation by counties and eligible cities, South Carolina will have nearly $600 million in funds for opioid abatement over the next 15 years, Wilson said.

He said the payments are structured to ensure critical support in early years as well as sustained resources over time.

CVS’s payments will be spread over 10 years; Walgreens' payments will be spread over 15 years; Teva’s payments will be spread over 13 years, and Allergan’s payments will be spread over 7 years.

If there is sufficient sign-on, payments will begin during the second half of 2023, Wilson said.

Publix and Publix Super Markets Charities (PSMC) are donating $200,000 to support the education and well-being of students at 10 colleges and universities in the communities they serve.

Publix collaborated with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to provide $100,000 in scholarships to 50 minority students attending the selected schools. 

In addition, Publix donated $50,000 in food and other products, and PSMC donated $50,000 in funding to support food pantries serving students at the schools.

“Paying for tuition is only one challenge faced by many students seeking a higher education,” said PSMC Executive Director Kelly Williams-Puccio.

“Many students also struggle to afford food and other essential items like personal care products. With these donations, we hope to provide some relief for those in need as they work toward a better future for themselves and their families.”

The following colleges and universities are receiving the scholarships and hunger-alleviation donations:

* Benedict College, Columbia, S.C.

* Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona Beach, Fla.

* Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta

* Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee, Fla.

* Morehouse College, Atlanta

* Savannah State University, Savannah, Ga.

* Spelman College, Atlanta

* Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tenn.

* University of Central Florida, Orlando, Fla.

* Virginia State University, Petersburg, Va.

The Publix Cares scholarship is a one-year, $2,000 scholarship administered in collaboration with UNCF, and presented to five students at each school.

Recipients will have the opportunity to work with a Publix talent acquisition consultant to receive resume and interview tips, discuss career aspirations and learn about employment opportunities at Publix. 

Publix, the largest employee-owned company in the U.S. with more than 240,000 associates, operates 1,315 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. 

Striped Pig Distillery, LLC, a woman-owned and family-operated distillery, announced plans to expand operations in Charleston County. The company will invest $10 million and create more than 50 jobs, according to the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

Striped Pig Distillery specializes in crafting Southern-style spirits including bourbon, gin, rum, organic vodka and flavored iterations of each spirit.

With a focus on community, the company sources ingredients for its award-winning spirits regionally and works with local organizations to give back to community causes through its Sip & Share program. 

Located at 2225 Old School Drive in North Charleston, Striped Pig Distillery’s expansion will add 24,000 square feet to its existing facility to accommodate a new bottling line and event space.

The expansion will be complete by summer of 2023.

Those interested in joining Striped Pig Distillery should go to the company’s contact page.   

The Greenville Chamber Foundation has been awarded a $60,000 grant from Power:Ed in support of the Greenville Chamber’s work in increasing educational attainment among working age adults in Greenville County.

The grant will support the hiring of a Career Navigator position at the Greenville Chamber.

This individual will serve and assist adults in navigating barriers to pursuing education and engage in career transitions by helping them understand their postsecondary options and developing a plan to obtain a certification, credential, or degree, Chamber officials said.

The Greenville Chamber through its economic development initiative, Accelerate, has spearheaded an effort to ensure that 60 percent of adults aged 25-64 have a quality, post-secondary certificate, credential, or degree tied to employment and economic mobility.

Greenville County currently sits at 45.7 percent of adults with an associate degree or higher. Chamber officials said the Career Navigator position will execute strategies connecting employers, incumbent workers and other adults seeking to access educational opportunities.

“This generous support from Power:Ed will provide tangible, real, and lasting benefits to our Upstate community,” said Cheryl Garrison, Greenville Chamber Foundation Executive Director.

“Equipping individuals with the skills needed to succeed in our global economy will further strengthen our Upstate workforce and bolster our local economy.”

“Power:Ed, a philanthropy of SC Student Loan Corporation, is proud to support the Greenville Chamber Foundation and its vital work to dramatically increase local education attainment levels and prepare a pipeline of skilled talent for SC employers,” said Power:Ed Director Claire Gibbons.

“We are excited by the potentially transformative impact of this pilot program.”

In the first two quarters of FY2022-23, Power:Ed awarded 12 grants to South Carolina education and career readiness nonprofits, including Greenville Chamber Foundation, totaling over $450,000.

Grants are administered quarterly, and the next grant funding deadline is Jan. 1, 2023.

The Greenville Chamber expects to fill the Career Navigator position in early 2023.