Eric Boatwright was on a training pole, took a “bad step” and remembers the world being in black and white for a fraction of a second before he fell 50 feet to the ground.

Florence County Council has voted to seek quotes for a road extension and stormwater improvements as an industry in the area seeks to build a new, larger facility.

A restructuring announced Tuesday by ESAB Welding and Cutting Products will eliminate jobs at the company’s Florence site, but officials said they do not know how many at this point.

The S.C. Department of Transportation Commission has approved replacing the bridge on Papermill Road over Jefferies Creek in Florence County.

Johnson Controls Inc.’s plans to locate a new battery recycling center were on display Monday during the company’s first public meeting on the facility that is expected to bring 250 jobs to the Pee Dee and an initial capital investment of more than $100 million.

A a state-of-the-art battery recycling facility, representing a $100 million investment and the creation of 250 jobs in Florence County, will be announced June 2.

Trinity Iron Works will locate its new facility in Georgetown County, the county and S.C. Department of Commerce announced Wednesday. The $500,000 investment is expected to generate 15 jobs.

Three state-of-the-art emergency vehicles built in Marion have found new homes, thanks to the Fire Department Instructors Conference that ended April 25 in Indianapolis.

Sonoco produced record sales and its second-best base earnings performance ever in 2008, despite the global economic crisis, the company’s chairman, president and chief executive officer told shareholders at their annual meeting Wednesday.

About 90 employees of The ESAB Group Inc.’s Florence site on South Ebenezer Road have been laid off, company officials confirmed Thursday afternoon.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control will hold two availability sessions Thursday to update residents of Myrtle Beach on current activities of the groundwater investigation at the AVX

The South Carolina Department of Commerce and Horry County today announced that Coastal Biodiesel Group Inc. will open a new facility in Horry County. The $4.5 million investment is expected to generate 50 new jobs.

Honda of South Carolina Manufacturing Inc. will resume production May 4 — 30 days ahead of schedule, Jeff Helton, Honda’s assistant vice president for production, said Friday.

During an update to council members during this past week, Marion County administrator Tim Harper informed council that plans to increase the size of the Marion County Industrial Park could get some much needed assistance.

Unemployment is going to continue to get worse before it gets better, according to a Grand Strand economist.