Lt. Governor Evette’s visit was covered exclusively by Fox Carolina. She spoke to a class at USC Upstate Wednesday about women in leadership and the impact they are making in South Carolina.
Lt. Governor Evette’s visit was covered exclusively by Fox Carolina. She spoke to a class at USC Upstate Wednesday about women in leadership and the impact they are making in South Carolina.
By Ann McGill originally published by Live 5 WCSC on Jan 25, 2024.
RIDGEVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) – Big changes are coming to the Volvo manufacturing plant in Ridgeville.
The automaker says just six years from now, the Swedish carmaker will go fully electric.
Starting in 2030, the company will kick gas-powered engines to the curb and only manufacture electric vehicles.
The company invited one of the state’s top officials to the Lowcountry to check out the plant as it prepares to move forward.
Lt. Governor Pamela Evette got full access to the assembly plant that is working to attract the next generation of manufacturing employees.
She even took part in a training exercise designed for new workers.
“This really gets continuity you know. There’s this manual you look at, you do it. The same thing everybody is trained on the same way. I think this is great. I think this is why it’s so important to get our kids involved in our robotics and STEM programs. Cause Legos are a huge part of that dexterity, that creativity,” Evette said.
Volvo is working with ReadySC on a new program to recruit students even before they graduate high school to help them get ready for that 2030 deadline. The Accelerator Program is working with seniors at Woodland, Ashley Ridge, Cross and Stall High Schools.
The company currently employs 2,000 people and is working to bring 1,300 more on board to staff a second shift as it prepares to roll out the all-electric EX90 SUV starting this summer.
There are two application events happening soon. The first one is on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Ridgeville at the Ridgeville Community Center people can fill out applications.
There’s another one happening Tuesday in Moncks Corner at the Moncks Corner Library from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
By Matthew Christian, Originally published in the Aiken Standard on January 12, 2024
NORTH AUGUSTA — South Carolina’s technical education system is a big reason for the state’s economic growth, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette said Jan. 10.
South Carolina broke its record for largest single economic development project announced twice in 2022, Evette told the women of the Steel Magnolias Republican women’s group at Southbound Smokehouse.
BMW announced a $1.7 billion expansion of its Upstate operations, including $1 billion for the production of electric vehicles in Spartanburg and $700 million to build a battery assembly plant in Woodruff.
Redwood Materials announced plans to construct a $3.5 billion plant in Berkeley County that will build electric vehicle parts.
The Census Bureau recently announced that South Carolina led the nation in population growth percentage from 2022-2023.
“We keep growing because we are so blessed with an amazing technical college system,” Evette said. “We can create the workforce of tomorrow.”
South Carolina’s technical college system includes 16 schools serving different areas of the state. Aiken County is served by Aiken Technical College.
Evette added her middle son, Joey, chose to attend Greenville Technical College.
The Evettes live north of Greenville in Travelers Rest.
Evette said Joey played lacrosse in high school, and her friends would ask her about Joey’s college plans at the games. She said Joey was the smartest of her three children but didn’t want to be in school anymore.
“Oh my God, he didn’t get into Clemson,” Evette remembers her friends asking. “It really dawned on me how everyone viewed our technical college system as almost a second-tier option.”
Most people don’t realize there are good careers for graduates of a technical college, Evette continued.
She added someone with a mechatronics degree — design and analysis of sensors and actuators — can make $55,000 per year and, if that person is a good employee, six figures three years after graduation.
The best part, Evette continued, is that graduates will have zero college debt.
Evette said she tours businesses around the state — she visited Aiken’s AGY plant in 2023 — and speaks to groups of Republicans. She said she is often told by businesses that employees need soft skills and by parents that children need to learn fiscal responsibility.
“Really all we need to do is get our kids working again,” Evette said.
She added youth employment is as low as it’s been.
“Kids will learn soft skills in that first job,” Evette continued. “You can’t teach fiscal responsibility to someone who’s never had a job. They don’t know what they’re giving up to earn a dollar.”
Evette said she’s started a statewide campaign to encourage parents to let their children get afterschool jobs
Written by Nate Stanley, originally published Jan 6, 2024 by WLTX News 19
COLUMBIA, S.C. — On Saturday, hundreds gathered for South Carolina’s 50th March for Life outside of the State House.
South Carolina Citizens for Life founded the event and had dozens of churches represented. It drew people from around the state, including Mary and Karen from Charleston.
“We came out here to save lives, to save our babies,” Karen said.
After a short walk to the State House steps, speakers, including Attorney General Alan Wilson, Rep. Joe Wilson, and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, spoke. Evette highlighted the work her office has done after a year of abortion legislation in the state.
“In our executive budget, we’ve asked for $500,000 to go to children’s trust. $250,000 of that will get matched 3-to-1 by the federal government,” she said. “Right now, the program, OBGYNs refer an at-risk mom to the children’s trust program. A nurse will come out to their home; they’ll help them when it comes to prenatal care to help with the baby when it’s born to helping them find options with careers.”
In 2023, the legislature passed a new version of the fetal heartbeat law that essentially bans abortion after six weeks. After a long battle, the South Carolina Supreme Court took on the bill to decide whether it was constitutional. In August 2023, the court decided 4-1 to uphold the law. Evette said she sees the last year as progress.
“If you save one life, it’s a win. Here in South Carolina, when the first Heartbeat Bill got locked up in the Supreme Court, and then the Supreme Court voted against it, we saw out-of-state abortions rise at astronomical levels,” she said. “That was not good for South Carolina; to be an abortion destination state was not what we wanted to be labeled as. If this law didn’t take everybody where they wanted to, know that you are saving more lives today than you did before it passed.”
For Jonathan Bruce, the day was about spreading his message and connecting with others in Columbia.
“What I believe is we should come to a consensus of understanding of what life is,” he said. “I believe if we can come to an agreement of where life starts, we can actually get somewhere.”
Mary and Karen said they came to spread awareness of available resources for mothers in the state.
“That baby doesn’t have a choice but a mother has a choice,” Karen said. “There are so many people out there today that want children but can’t have children.”
Planned Parenthood did not respond to a request for comment on the rally.
by Matthew Sockol – Originally Published by WCIV on November 30th 2023
SOUTH CAROLINA (WCIV) — The South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS) launched a new campaign dedicated to educating parents on how to have open conversations with their children about alcohol abuse, smoking, vaping and the dangers of other drugs.
“This campaign features statements from real South Carolina children and teens about the challenges they are facing right now,” DAODAS Director Sara Goldsby said in a statement. “We want to use this as an opportunity to help parents tackle tough topics in a way that makes their kids listen.”
According to DAODAS, 23% of students in grades 9-12 in South Carolina admit they drank alcohol in the past month while 47% say have tried electronic vapor products. When it comes to talking about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, it’s best to have conversations early. Educating parents and young people about substance use and misuse before it takes place is key to preventing it from happening.
“This is an issue that impacts thousands of South Carolinians and it is not just those who abuse these drugs that suffer, but their families and loved ones who suffer with them,” Lt. Governor Pamela Evette said in a statement. “That is why it is so vital that we educate our young people about the dangers of drugs and work to ensure that they don’t use drugs in the first place.
“We can’t educate our children on these dangers if we can’t find an effective way to communicate with them,” she continued in her statement. “That’s exactly what this program will do.”
The campaign has a website and social media channels in which parents can go to learn more about having important conversations with their kids, according to DAODAS. The website provides a place where parents will find tips on how to start a conversation, how to keep conversations going, and learning how to better talk to their child.
by: Adrianna Lawrence with WBTW. Originally posted Nov. 17, 2023
CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) — South Carolina’s lieutenant governor visited Coastal Carolina University on Thursday to talk about workforce development with the College of Graduate and Continuing Studies.
Representatives from Santee Cooper and Conway Medical Center also talked about how the workforce needs to continue to improve and grow.
“Here in South Carolina, we’ve been very focused on creating the workforce of tomorrow, making sure that the world-class companies that are coming here to our state have the workforce that they need,” Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette said.
The Grand Strand is one of the fastest-growing areas in the country but ranks low for people obtaining college degrees. Recent U.S. Census Data shows nearly 30% of the state’s residents 25 or older have a bachelor’s degree. In Horry County, that number is about 24%.
CCU officials acknowledge the need for higher education credentials across the state. Evette said colleges influence the workforce starting at a young age.
“Many of the skills that we find our employees are lacking are soft skills, things that you learn in that first job,” Evette said. “So for all the parents that are watching, realize we need your children.”
Evette said the problem isn’t limited to South Carolina. It’s a worldwide issue. She also said colleges can help give hope to young adults looking for a path while solving the current problems employers face.
“When you get your kids employed and they get out there and see the real world and they see what’s going on and they see the difference that education makes, it inspires them to make sure that they stay in school, they do well,” she said.
Dr. Lee Brown, the dean of CCU’s College of Graduate and Continuing Studies, said they created the program two years ago and have seen a significant increase in adult enrollment.
“Trying to be flexible, convenient, for that mom that has to work and has an issue with daycare or has to be home in the evening, being able to provide that access to education is where we sort of hang our hat on,” Brown said.
CCU recently began offering a program called CCU Complete that allows students who have earned some college credit in the past but did not finish to return and take up to five classes for $100 each.
Repost of story from MYHORRYNEWS: Coaches vs. Overdoses program comes to Myrtle Beach area by Joe Wedra, — Oct 29, 2023
The national program Coaches vs. Overdoses was officially introduced to the Myrtle Beach area Friday night.
Coaches vs. Overdoses is an opioid abatement program which raises awareness for proper drug disposal and is attempting to fight the country’s opioid epidemic. It was active at Friday’s Myrtle Beach vs. North Myrtle Beach football game, distributing drug disposal packets to fans in attendance.
Supporting the initiative, South Carolina Lt. Governor Pamela Evette was at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium serving as an honorary captain.
Evette was in Myrtle Beach to support the efforts of the Coaches vs. Overdoses campaign and to share the group’s key messaging, including phrases like “one pill can kill.”
“This is great, because this is who we want to reach,” Evette said of the program being able to have a presence at Friday’s well-attended rivalry game.
“We want to reach the athletes and we want to reach parents. We want them to take the playbook that has been put together and make them understand. I have three kids, and they don’t think this kind of stuff is going to come to their school, their neighborhood or their friend group. But the shocking reality is that we are losing kids as young as 10 years old due to the fentanyl crisis.”
The new national pilot program has now launched in five states, with South Carolina being a state where efforts have been significant.
South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association Executive Director Scott Earley — who was the head football coach at Myrtle Beach High School from 2000-2008 — is leading the charge to promote the Coaches vs. Overdoses program in the state.
Earley said after meeting with various leaders and seeing its significant effects in other states, it was an obvious decision to make this area a key initiative for the association.
“My charge is to inform and educate,” Earley said. “And looking at the data, that produces positive success when it comes to fighting against opioids. So for me, this just made sense. I wanted to try to get this thing off the ground and grow it. Then, if the tidal wave comes here to the great state of South Carolina, we might have some preventative measures in place that can cause us not to suffer what these other states have.”
Coaches vs. Overdoses began with Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy White’s desire to turn a tragic situation into a positive lesson for others. White lost a son-in-law to a fake pain pill, and he is now helping to raise two grandchildren due to the tragedy.
The program is attempting to underscore the importance of disposing of unused drugs, which is why it is handing out pocket-sized DisposeRx disposal kits across the country. Friday’s event in Myrtle Beach coincided with Saturday’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day as well as October being Substance Abuse Prevention Month.
Earley said his goal is to help athletes understand how difficult it can be to spot fake pills. He hopes the messaging of Coaches vs. Overdoses can help prevent potential tragedies across the state of South Carolina.
“A lot of our athletes across the country who are losing their lives are losing it by accident,” Earley said. “But they just haven’t been educated on it. I think this thing got here a lot faster than we thought it was coming. So, I want to be a part of that [education].”
Evette said efforts like Friday night’s are valuable for everyone, particularly students at the local level.
She hopes that the initiative can provide valuable awareness in schools across the state and says that can start with providing information to athletes.
“A lot of our high school athletes, they are leaders in the school,” Evette said. “They are role models in the school. So we want to make sure they are armed with the right information and they pass it on to their peer groups.”
Earley’s efforts with Coaches vs. Overdoses is just getting started, and he hopes that Friday night’s introduction into the Myrtle Beach area is the beginning of a charge to “prevent, not solve” issues.
The program hopes to continue to share key statistics that they provide, including:
Friday was not the end of the efforts in the Myrtle Beach area. It is expected that a further emphasis will be placed on the program in December at the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives North vs. South Bowl at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium.
Earley is excited to help bring the message to the Myrtle Beach area.
“We wanted Myrtle Beach to be a part of this because they do so much,” Earley said. “The city of Myrtle Beach has been so great to all of us over the years. It was just one of those things that really worked out.
“Myrtle Beach will always be home to me. It will always be a special place in my heart. It’s just a good place to do things… The more people who hear the message, the more people get the message. It’s kind of like going to church.”
by Michael Owen – originally published by WPDE on September 14, 2023
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — South Carolina is pushing to be an attractive destination for tech companies, and our state’s Lieutenant Governor said the key is being a national leader in stem education.
Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette visited the Grand Strand today to speak at a tech conference.
She was the host speaker Wednesday at the SC Decoded Conference in North Myrtle Beach.
She said that having these types of jobs and education resources available is crucial to our area if we want the younger generations to stay here.
The Lieutenant Governor also said that while Myrtle Beach has always been routed in hospitality, it’s now expanding into a new industry.
“With DC Blox announcing they’re coming to Myrtle Beach, basically bringing transatlantic fiber in here and being a data center. So, what that’s saying is this is the area you want to be in if you’re going to be in the cyber computer science arena,” said Lt. Gov. Evette.
In order to keep attracting those companies and providing future generations with jobs, Evette said education is the key.
“We have an opportunity. There are great choices in this field, and we as a state, want our kids to stay here. We’re looking out into the future that we are educating our kids for the jobs of the future,” she said.
In 2018, just 43% of all high schools in South Carolina offered computer science courses. Now 93% offer them, which is number two in the country.
She said we need to introduce kids to stem fields at earlier ages.
“It’s never too young. You know I first learned here in Myrtle Beach about STEM and STEAM doing robotics. They start them out very young with Legos getting the dexterity to put things together to create and build and they continue to ramp that up each year,” said Lt. Gov. Evette.
The leader of FIRST Robotics competitions in South Carolina tells me they have kids as young as four years old participating.
“When you go look at kids, they’re using technology. They’re using their iPads. They’re using all these resources and sometimes it’s just to have an environment they can relax in. What we try to do is flip that brain the other way and say how can we actually show the kids how to build that app,” said Chris Cortez, FIRST South Carolina. He added, “They’re using encoding skills that we teach them to build those apps. So they can actually understand at a fundamental level of actually how this comes to be.”
Cortez said FIRST wants to give all kids the opportunity to be introduced to STEM fields and have mentors to be able to help guide them in the industry.
“We also want to empower the students that are in our programs, and future members of our programs to stay in the state of South Carolina. There are great opportunities here and we are going to help build that economic boom of those STEM leaders with our programs,” said Cortez. He went on to add, “When they say there’s great jobs here, we want to be a part of that and say we’re helping build those opportunities for those kids to be successful for those businesses. So those businesses can come here and say ‘You know what there is a great workforce here.’ ”
The Lieutenant Governor agrees that equipping students with the right resources will be crucial to continued expansions into STEM careers for South Carolina. It’s not just kids she wants to be educated either. She also wants to see more veterans use scholarship opportunities to live in South Carolina and enter the STEM field.
“We know that cyber is the future, technology is the future, and we want to make sure that we equip all South Carolina students with the knowledge that they need for these amazing careers,” said Lt. Gov. Evette.
Many tech companies were on hand for the meet and greet style event with speakers on topics like A.I. and cyber security.
Below is an excerpt from a story written by Karen Petit, May 3, 2023
Although many sitting in the audience already had overcome obstacles in their pursuit of a college degree, South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette called on the Class of 2023 to embrace failure without fear as Lander University conferred bachelor’s and master’s degrees to 555 graduates during its 167th commencement Wednesday (May 3).
Evette was the guest speaker for the 11 a.m. ceremony for graduates of the College of Business, College of Education, and the School of Nursing.
During a ceremony at 3 p.m., Dr. Lucas McMillan, dean of the College of Behavioral & Social Sciences, addressed the graduates from his college, as well as those from the College of Arts & Humanities, College of Science & Mathematics and the Interdisciplinary Program.
“Don’t allow fear to keep you from jumping headfirst toward your dreams,” said Evette, who was a successful business leader before being elected as the Palmetto State’s first Republican lieutenant governor in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.
She told the graduates to put fear into perspective. “When we fail, we learn from it,” she said, noting that she looked back on every hardship and failure with positivity and had learned to accept life’s curve balls as opportunities for growth.
Evette implored the graduates to have integrity, which she called “a precious resource.”
Living with integrity, she explained, “is something you must do every day … even when you know no one is watching or listening. To me, having integrity is and will always be one of the most valuable things that we have in life.”
The descendant of immigrants who came to the United States after fleeing the hardships of life in Poland in the early 1900s, Evette told the graduates to dream big. “Don’t pump the brakes before you even get started.”
She asked the graduates a series of questions about their future. “Will you limit yourself or will you go for it, go for the big dream? Will you let fear stand in the way or will you take risks? What will you do when no one is watching? Will you choose to be divisive or will you engage with others with open arms and an open heart? Will you be willing to put in the time and persevere, to see curve balls in life as gifts?”
In concluding her remarks, Evette said, “This education has equipped you to launch your careers and participate in the civic lives of your community, defy expectations, inspire others and make an impact that radiates through your community and beyond.”
Read the full story originally published by Lander University on May 3, 2023.
Lt. Governor Pamela Evette sat down with Lacey Eibert Keigley with Travelers Rest Here. During the interview they discussed Evette’s service to the state, her priorities, her values, her family, and living in Travelers Rest.
Please find an excerpt below. Access the full story here.
Pamela Evette has served as South Carolina’s Lt. Governor for the past four years (with a recent re-election for four more years) and she lives in Travelers Rest. She and her husband have raised their family on a farm in TR for the past twenty years or so. The family home and farm are next door to their business and when she’s not traveling throughout the state in her official capacity, you can definitely find her at home with her husband and three children and her 94 year old mother who also lives with the family.
“Everybody knows everybody,” Evette shared about TR. “That’s the beauty of small towns.” We joked about the added benefit of raising kids in small towns. “Yes, we really bonded over that,” Evette laughed. “I mean, in a small town, as a kid, all the parents knew one another. If you did something two blocks away, your parents probably knew about it before you got home.”
Her family’s farm is an operating horse farm and Evette said she still enjoys riding. “In fact, not long after I was sworn into office, I rode a horse in the Aiken Christmas Parade.” We shared a few stories of falling off horses, something we’ve both experienced and would rather not experience again, particularly as women over forty. As far as we both know, she’s the only female elected official in South Carolina to ride a horse in a parade – and, more importantly of course, Evette is the first female Republican Lieutenant Governor in our state of South Carolina. We’re proud she’s a local – and she’s proud to be one too.
Of course, TR continues to grow and to change – and has changed dramatically during the history of both Evette’s family life here and her personal and professional career. “Back when I moved here, downtown wasn’t really a downtown. It’s been so encouraging to see how everything has grown. The wonderful history that wraps around everything,” Evette said.
She believes the growth of Travelers Rest reflects the growth of the entire state. “I think the revitalization of the Main Street here in Travelers Rest is mirrored all over Main Streets in South Carolina.” She’s proud of TR – and we are too. Evette said she frequently talks about our shared small town’s growth and improvements. “The vision of the small shops, the Farmer’s Market – they’ve done a great job going back to their roots and finding their heritage. People are yearning to connect to that. It’s the best last stop before you go to the mountains.”
[…]
I found Evette to be sincere and direct. She cares about South Carolina, its economy, its diversity, its people.
“I want our kids to be proud South Carolinians, to be so proud of being from South Carolina,” she shared. “I talk a lot to people about South Carolina’s fingerprints. Sometimes we can take it for granted – how great this place is. For example, we are building more BMWs than anywhere in the world. That’s our fingerprints. We’re building boats in Charleston. Our fingerprints. We are building planes. Fingerprints of South Carolina. We make pharmaceuticals in the midlands that go all over the world. South Carolina fingerprints. I want to explain to our kids how proud they can be of where they live, how our South Carolina finger prints are all over.”