DONATION – Sen. Hugh Leatherman presents a $25,000 check on behalf of the state to the Courtney McGinnis Graham Community Shelter on June 30. Bryan Braddock, executive director of the House of House of the Pee Dee, on left, accepts the donation supporting

Florence native and Miss S.C. Sweet Potato Festival Teen Kinsley Odom wrapped up a successful week by being named a top 15 quarter finalist at the 80th anniversary of the Miss South Carolina/Miss South Carolina Teen pageants. Odom also won the Quality of

Stan Sullivan has recorded a piano CD, entitled “THE FIRST ONE.” Sullivan, who serves as administrative board chairman of the The Christian Learning Centers of Florence County, is donating all profits from the sale of his CD to support the CLC ministry.

Considering the challenges that today’s youth face, community leaders are getting together to create an event that emphasizes positive alternatives. Freedom Fest of Florence, for youth ages 12-18, will occur Monday, July 18, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the

Three cadets from South Florence High’s Naval JROTC program recently completed the 2016 Area Six Sail Academy held at Lake Marion’s Navy Short Stay Recreation Area in Moncks Corner. Qualified candidates trained for a week with US Navy Sail and USA

Boutique hotel earns top spot among Choice’s Ascend Hotel Collection Hotel Florence was the winner of the Choice Hotel’s Ascend Hotel Collection 2016 Hotel of the Year Award. The award was announced at Choice Hotels International’s 62nd Annual Convention

The Julian D. Dusenbury Detachment 410 of Florence is holding a raffle for two days of racing fun at Darlington Raceway. The tickets are for the Help a Hero 200 on Sept. 3 and the Bojangles Southern 500 Sept. 4. The drawing will be held on Aug. 20. Seats

The Pee Dee Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America bestowed their Distinguished Citizen Award on life-long boy scout and military veteran Rocky Gannon during a special ceremony on June 23. The award was presented at a dinner held at the Southeastern

By BRENDA HARRISON Editor of The News Journal Florence, S.C. The Florence Little Theatre has “Something Wonderful” planned for its 2016-2017 Season. The season opens next week with the summer production, Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka JR., featuring a cast of

Francis Marion University golf coach Mark Gaynor has announced the addition of Mark Goodall of Tomkins Cove, N.Y., Callum McGuigan of Crieff, Scotland, and Petter Songe-Moeller of Stavanger, Norway, to the Patriot program for the 2016-17 academic year.

Eleven tennis and track athletes from Florence, referred to as Team Florence, are one of five teams from the United States that have been invited to participate in the Olympics’ 50th International Children’s Games this year, July 11-16. The games will be

The Marine Corps League Julian D. Dusenbury Detachment 410 won awards at the Department Convention on June 4 in Anderson. The detachment won second place for their Americanism Report and will be sending it on to the National Convention in Tulsa, Okla.

The Florence County Library System will welcome Roger Day July 11-13 for Summer Reading 2016. Encouraging children to sing loud, jump high, and dream big, two-time Parents Choice Award-winner Roger Day entertains over 100,000 children annually. His

Gymnastics Coordinator Pam Mobley officially retired on July 5 after 16 years leading the City Recreation Department gymnastics program. She started as a preschool teacher under program founder Louise Peck and served as an assistant coach before taking

FLORENCE, S.C. – Francis Marion University named 254 students from the Pee Dee Region to the President’s List, which includes Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Marion, Marlboro and Williamsburg. Three-hundred and eleven others from the region we