The Friday Five 1.11.19

Here is this week’s Friday Five. The first week of session has come and gone, and there was a lot of action — though not on legislation.

1. 150 year Senate precedent ceased for the 123rd Legislative Session. The 2019 South Carolina General Assembly convened at noon on Tuesday, January 8th for the 123rd legislative session. Since 1868, the lieutenant governor has presided over South Carolina’s Senate and former Lieutenant Governor Kevin Bryant of Anderson will become the last lieutenant governor of South Carolina to assume that role. The “President of the Senate” (a new position created by a constitutional change in 2012) will instead occupy this role, and Senator Harvey Peeler of Gaffney will go down in S.C. history as the first to serve in this domain after the Senate unanimously voted in favor of his appointment. 
2. Governor Henry McMaster or Football Head Coach Henry McMaster?  On Wednesday, Governor Henry McMaster was sworn into his first full term as the 117th Governor of South Carolina. While the Governor’s victory on the campaign trail partly derived from a successful defensive game plan as he portrayed, “South Carolina is winning,” he took a rather offensive approach highlighting the next four years. His game plan, or inaugural address, to ensure victories within our state, McMaster’s game plan primarily focused on education reform – a touchdown that requires teamwork from both sides of the isle within the General Assembly.
3. The partial government shutdown clock reaches 21 days. Discussions on reopening the federal government have been anything but successful in Washington, D.C. Earlier this week, after yet another failed debate between the President and Pelosi/Schumer, Senator Lindsey Graham expressed his frustration on Twitter, calling on the President to “Declare a national emergency NOW. Build a wall NOW.” The partial government shutdown is being especially noticed today, as hundreds of federal workers are not receiving paychecks- leaving them frustrated as well. That frustration led several federal workers, along with other protesters to Senator Graham’s Midlands office in South Carolina, urging him to support funding the government. 
4. Prisma Health declares Upstate to serve as their new headquarters. Palmetto Health of the Midlands and Greenville Health System of the Upstate merged back in November of 2017, creating the South Carolina’s largest health system and the top 50 largest systems in the United States.
5.  Ascend Performance Materials to announce 30 new jobs to Greenwood County. Ascend’s $35.2 million dollar decision to expand operations in Greenwood will create 30 new jobs to expand the manufacturing plant’s polymer production by 50%. Governor McMaster weighed in on Ascend’s decision, stating that the plant’s “commitment to Greenwood County is proof that South Carolina’s economic development strategy is working.

Bonus: On Monday night, the Clemson Tigers claimed their third National Title in Santa Clara, California, defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide 44-16. A parade and stadium gathering will take place this Saturday and here are five things you should know if you are planning to attend.  (Editor’s Note: Can you tell Madison is a Clemson fan?)