President Joe Biden says his administration is fighting discrimination and voter suppression even as it fosters the future of historically black colleges and universities.

Speaking at commencement Friday at SC State University, Biden said his administration has delivered $5 billion for HBCUs just this year, “but it’s only the beginning.” He pledged to increase Pell Grants and expand “HBCU opportunities.”

“Folks I see HBCU excellence every day in my administration,” Biden said.

Biden said HBCUs produce:

40 % of all black engineers

50% of all black lawyers

70 % of all black doctors and dentists

80% of all black judges

Biden told students they need to help with society’s problems, leading the way in improving policing, making sure people are being treated fairly and ensuring the right to vote.

“Without the right to vote, there is no democracy,” he said.

Biden encourages grads to accept the challenge to change the world.”I’m counting on you to meet the moment,” he told graduates.

He called for an end to racism: “We must not give hate any safe harbor. Call it out. You are going to have to be the light.”

Biden told students they are needed to help guide the future.

“You’re part of the most gifted, talented, tolerant generation in American history.

“You gonna see more change in the next 10 years than in the last 50.”

Biden said gun violence and the “flow of firearms” must end.

“There are no greater victims than the black community.”

Before the speech

Joseph R. Biden Jr., the 46th president of the United States, is the commencement speaker for the S.C. State Class of 2021’s December graduates at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 17, at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

At 10:40 a.m., the president is speaking.

Those in attendance are excited about the event.

Fred Hammond told T&D Staff Writer Gene Zaleski he came all the way from Atlanta to see his nephew graduate.

“I heard Biden was going to be here coincidentally. I was going to be here regardless who spoke.”

When told Biden’s visit was historic, Hammond simply said, “Wow! That is great!

“ I am excited to be here,” he continued.

He also said he was excited for Congressman Jim Clyburn be able to walk and receive his degree.

Mary Thompson, a 1960 graduate of SCSU, came to see her granddaughter, Ashley Thompson, graduate. Her granddaughter is a mass communicaions major.

“It is the most exciting time,” Thompson said. “If he (Biden) doesn’t even say anything but hello but she can tell her grandchildren that the president spoke at my commencement.”

Earlier coverage

The T&D has a team of journalists on the scene and will be bringing you coverage throughout the day, with updates being posted as developments unfold.

At 7 a.m., T&D Staff Writer Gene Zaleski reported a heavy police presence at the entrance to S.C. State, with streets on campus being blocked off near S-H-M.

SCSU spokesman Sam Watson said Biden was running about 20 minutes late because of the heavy fog, but he is still coming.

Graduates were entering S-H-M more than an hour before the ceremony.

No further word at 8:30 a.m. on the arrival of President Biden.

At 9 a.m., graduates were preparing to enter S-H-M and other officials were inside. The shuttle taking people to the center was making its last run.

By 9:30 a.m., graduates and other attendees were inside S-H-M as required. The T&D’s Larry Hardy is providing photo coverage from inside the center.

Preparation for the event has been ongoing all week since the announcement this past Saturday that the president would be coming to Orangeburg for the speech.

The campus opened early today at 6:30 a.m. to graduating seniors, invited guests and SC State employees.

South Carolina State University 1890 Research & Extension received a $450,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service to increase farm viability and extend the production season of fresh locally grown crops through the construction of high tunnel systems (hoop houses).

In collaboration with NRCS, SC State 1890 Extension’s sustainable agriculture and natural resources program will work to establish a high tunnel demonstration site at the SC State 1890 Research & Demonstration Farm in Olar. Research and training provided through the grant will provide economic and environmental benefits to farmers looking to enhance soil quality, reduce disease and meet the state’s demand for fresher locally grown crops.

“Hoop houses will build the capacity of small-scale farmers by extending the growing season of scarce products during seasons when opportunities are often limited,” Dr. Louis Whitesides, vice president and executive director for 1890 programs said. “Locally grown vegetables are not only perceived by many to be fresher and have better taste, but their sales also have indirect benefits for the environment by reducing fuel use, pollution and transportation costs, which is why our farmers must have resources like a hoop house at their disposal.”

Researchers will work with sustainable agriculture and natural resources Extension agents to raise and transplant leafy greens, such as greens (turnip and mustard), specialty crops, selected fruits and other crops, including okra, beans, broccoli, onions, peppers, squash, spinach, tomatoes and eggplants. Results from the studies will identify efficient crop selections, planting arrangements and spacing to maximize crop production in high tunnel systems.

In addition to the anticipated research and construction of high tunnels, SC State 1890 and NRCS will coordinate and promote various statewide outreach programs and activities for small-scale farmers and will also work with county agents to develop a South Carolina High Tunnel System Technical Manual. Simplified for all ages, the manual will provide a wealth of knowledge on the best practices for operating and managing a high tunnel.

“A common issue amongst small farmers across the state is a lack of knowledge, which oftentimes can be intimidating when trying to understand the agriculture business,” Dr. Joshua Idassi, state program leader for sustainable agriculture and natural resources said. “We believe by providing a manual and implementing hands-on training, farmers will receive a basic understanding of how to effectively manage their high tunnel systems and also become knowledgeable on the best management practices to maximize the productivity of their crops, year-round.”

The three-year grant will cover expenses needed for an agronomy specialist and student assistant to monitor crops and conduct data collection, as well as provide funding for the supplies and equipment needed to construct and operate three high tunnel systems on the farm.

High tunnels protect plants from severe weather such as high winds, heavy rain, hail and drought, which allow farmers to extend their growing seasons year-round. High tunnels are also considered more affordable than greenhouses. On Sept. 23, SC State 1890 Extension Upstate region held a High Tunnel Production Management workshop for farmers. To watch the event recap, visit 1890.info/3Gl35U4 or visit youtube.com/scstate1890.

For more information about the high tunnel management program, contact Dr. Joshua Idassi, state program leader for sustainable agriculture and natural resources, at jidassi@scsu.edu.

A Calhoun County native has been named president of Dominion Energy SC.

W. Keller Kissam will start his new role on Jan. 1, 2022.

“I don’t get too caught up in titles on organization charts,” Kissam said about his new role.

“What really matters is my ability to make the people of Calhoun and Orangeburg counties who raised me – and the extraordinary men and women I work with every day – proud as I do my best to make sure we provide safe, reliable, affordable and increasingly clean energy to my fellow South Carolinians,” he said.

“That’s what it’s really about.”

Kissam succeeds Rodney Blevins. Blevins will become president of Dominion’s Gas Division, replacing Donald Raikes, who retired.

Kissam currently serves as president of electric operations at Dominion Energy SC. He has held the position since Dominion purchased SCANA Corp. just under three years ago.

He is the son of Maud and L.C. Kissam III. Kissam grew up in Creston.

Kissam has, in the past, said growing up in rural Calhoun County helped him reach the position he’s in today.

“It was about people helping people,” he said four years ago.

He graduated from The Citadel with a bachelor’s degree in 1988. He served as the regimental commander of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets.

He received an honorary doctorate of business from The Citadel in 2015 and is a member of The Citadel’s Business Hall of Fame.

Kissam got his first job with SCE&G at the age of 21 in its new utility professional program. After completing the program, Kissam worked for SCANA’s South Carolina Pipeline Corporation.

He became manager of contract administration and, in 1993, became vice president of SCPC and was responsible for contract administration and gas supply.

In 1996, he moved over to work for SCE&G as vice president of gas operations and was responsible for the gas distribution operating company in South Carolina until 2003, when he became vice president of SCE&G electric operations.

Kissam became chief operating officer and president of generation, transmission and distribution at SCE&G in 2017.

He is a board member and past president of the Southeastern Electric Exchange and the immediate past president of the South Carolina Independent Schools Association, and serves as chairman of the board of The Central South Carolina Economic Development Alliance.

A new subdivision is planned for Chestnut Street in Orangeburg, Plans call for about 40 to 50 homes.

Chestnut Ridge Subdivision is planned for the area of Chestnut Street between Loblolly Lane and Pinebrook Street. The land is near the intersection of Columbia Road and Chestnut Street.

“This site – when we did our due diligence – we realized it was a great little piece that really we felt could give the community a nice boost,” Winding Path partner and land developer Anna Fonseca told the Orangeburg Planning Commission on Tuesday.

Columbia-based Conquest Homes is the homebuilder.

The subdivision will have single-family, one- and two-story homes.

The price range of the homes will be between $230,000 and $270,000.

According to the Conquest Homes website, the homes will range from about 1,600 square feet to about 2,800 square feet.

The subdivision will have nine available home plans to choose from ranging from three bedroom, two-bath homes to four-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath homes. Some five-bedroom homes could also be a part of the project.

The subdivision will have access to city water and sewer, as well as natural gas.

Groundwork has already begun on the property with plans to start building homes within the next 60 days, Conquest Homes co-owner Bill Sinnett said.

He said it generally takes about six to eight months to build a home.

Sinnett says interest in the subdivision has been very high.

Fonseca said the property has been dormant for at least the past decade and fits in well with Winding Path’s business model.

She said the company has purchased land in subdivisions over the last 10 years where infrastructure may or may not be in place.

“We finish them out,” Fonseca said. “We believe in infill. We do develop in the hinterlands and from scratch. Our biggest goal is to go in and finish what other developers were unable to finish and make it a better place.”

Fonseca said when the owners of the property were approached, they were “more than happy to sell it to us.”

Conquest Homes has worked on a number of other subdivisions in the Orangeburg area, including Manchester South, Oakfield, The Palms and Pine Top. Both The Palms and Pine Top are currently sold out.

“The market is very good right now,” Fonseca said. “They are making a good product.”

“It will be the first in the City of Orangeburg,” Fonseca said. “We are excited and we would like to show you what we can do and finish it out and hopefully you all will be happy with it.”

The subdivision will have strict covenants and restrictions in accordance with similar development projects the company has done, Fonseca said.

“It will have restrictions on what you can and cannot do,” Fonseca said.

The Planning Commission unanimously approved the preliminary survey and plat for the project.

The meeting was held as part of the city’s land development ordinance, which requires the commission to review a preliminary plan and determine if all requirements meet land development ordinances that are required for a subdivision.

Orangeburg Assistant City Administrator John Singh said the property developer and the city have been on the same page in terms of covenants and restrictions for the subdivision.

The subdivision will include retention ponds and 6-foot high fencing around the ponds.

Singh also said access to the subdivision will not be from Chestnut Street but side roads in the area. Singh said the access requirement is in line with S.C. Department of Transportation regulations.

“We feel from a staff standpoint, the attorney standpoint, that the developers met all the requirements,” Singh said.

The tract was slated for development about 14 years ago, but those plans fell through.

The year 2020 was a tough one with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Local industries felt the effects, but they rebounded and are looking to the future.

Orangeburg County boasts a diverse industrial landscape of more than 100 firms, with manufacturers employing over 8,000.

About 19% of the county’s population works in manufacturing, according to the South Carolina Department of Employment & Workforce Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages from the third quarter of 2020. Manufacturing is the largest sector of the county’s workforce, with 5,150 individuals employed in manufacturing out of a workforce of 26,824.

A 2020 study shows the entire state has reason to appreciate manufacturing.

SC Future Makers, a nonprofit workforce and education organization affiliated with the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance, released the economic impact study of South Carolina’s manufacturing industry. Prepared by Dr. Joseph Von Nessen, Research Economist with the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, the study documents the uniquely large footprint that manufacturing maintains in the Palmetto State that has an estimated economic impact that totals between $194 billion and $206 billion annually.

Key economic impact findings from the study include:

• 16% of the State’s GDP is associated with manufacturing; manufacturing supports, either directly or indirectly, over 30% of all jobs statewide.

• Industries pay well and average an annual salary that is 33% higher than the state’s average wage.

• Manufacturing creates more jobs than virtually any other sector and has a multiplier effect of 2.4.

• 38% of South Carolina’s General Fund revenue comes from the manufacturing industry.

• South Carolina manufacturing is largely anchored by the aerospace, automotive and tire sectors along with their extended supply chains. These three sectors experienced growth at a collective rate of more than three times the state average over the past decade.

“The manufacturing industry has been the driving force of our state’s economy for over a century,” said Sara Hazzard, president and CEO of the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance. “The value and promise that American manufacturing provides is South Carolina’s story. Ours is an industry that offers great careers, drives innovation, transforms communities for the better, and creates lasting impacts that benefit all South Carolinians.”

The study reinforces the strong foundation the manufacturing industry has in South Carolina and the economic stability it creates, a foundation reinforced recently by Gov. Henry McMaster in recognizing Ocotober as S.C. Manufacturing Month.

In Orangeburg County, the month brings good news from a site for which there has been high hopes for years.

Thirteen years ago, Dubai World, parent company of Jafza International, said it was considering Orangeburg County for a $600-700 million logistics, manufacturing and distribution center. The recession that began in 2007 changed the plans and has left the site with minor development over more than a decade.

That is changing with activity at the 1,322-acre “South Carolina Gateway Industrial Park,” formerly known as JAFZA Magna Park. Two pads have been built at the site to house future speculative buildings.

One pad is on a 22-acre site and will house a 250,000-square-foot speculative building. The other pad is a 20-acre site and will house a 125,000-square-foot spec building, according to the project’s website.

“DP World is excited to move this project forward both on a small scale — the first building — but on a larger scale of growing the park in what we refer to as our premier industrial park in the U.S.,” Vice President of Parks Logistics and Zones DP World Brian Hoffman says in a video presentation on the company’s website about the Santee project.

Hoffman says the park’s master plan projects upwards of 6.5 million square feet of building space. About 350 acres are currently available for sale or built-to-suit development.

“The reason we are seeing speculative buildings and pads being developed is because of the commitment from County Council and our utilities to make the sites more readily available,” Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson said. “We are preparing ourselves for the future investment.”

And it should come to a county that is positioned for growth, in manufacturing and with other enteprises. Combine the development moving from Charleston and Columbia toward Orangeburg County with the new interchange at Interstate 95 and U.S. 301, and plans to widen Interstate 26 through the county and improve the I-95/I-26 interchange, and the logistics stars are aligning.

Orangeburg County has reason to appreciate manufacturing during this October observance, but we’re looking for even bigger and better things going forward.