Small Business Funding

South Carolina deer hunters focus on those who are food insecure [Video]
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South Carolina deer hunters focus on those who are food insecure [Video]

Deer hunters in South Carolina enjoy their sport, and their passion includes sharing their hunt with the hungry through the non-profit, “S.C. Hunters for the Hungry”. Since 2004, they have donated more than 1 million, 500 thousand pounds of venison to food pantries, soup kitchens and families facing hunger. Bob Williams is the president of the group.”We’re not a fancy organization. We just have one goal that is feeding people who are in need,” Williams said. Williams said South Carolina has a long deer season, from mid-August to the beginning of January, so hunters have plenty of time to harvest enough meat for their own freezers and likely have tags left over to harvest more meat to donate. He said Spartanburg Sen. Shane Martin recently got some state funding for the group last year, so now the Pacolet-based is looking to grow statewide. They’ve initiated a venison stick backpack program in schools in partnership with the SCDNR, providing high protein, lean meat sticks to children who are facing hunger. That idea came from Arkansas and Tennessee’s Hunters for the Hungry. “So far, we’ve donated over 110,000 venison meat sticks to backpack programs statewide,” Williams said.He is inviting more hunters to participate to grow the program for next season. Williams said the backpack program also teaches kids the value of hunting and ensures that future generations will make that connection to the land’s resources.To participate, he said hunters can donate the deer to an approved processor. They process the meat into venison sticks for the school backpack program, or into ground meat packed in one to five-pound units.The processor then donates the meat to a local food bank or soup kitchen, or SC Hunters for the Hungry takes it to their main facility in Pacolet for distribution. Hunters can pay the processor fees, or the processor donates their work, or the non-profit reimburses the processor using donated funds. All participating processors are first inspected by the nonprofit to ensure they are “top quality.” The town of Pacolet donated the National Guard Armory to SC Hunters for the Hungry to use as a warehouse and distribution center for all varieties of food. Williams said that’s separate from the statewide program, and as many as 600 people come to the facility each month for donations of venison, or canned goods and other food, he says everyone is eligible because “no one in South Carolina should ever go hungry.”If you would like to learn more please click the story above. To learn how to donate, volunteer or participate, click here.

GMCC Lunch(UP)date: Tech Hubs – WisconsinEye [Video]
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Small Business Funding

GMCC Lunch(UP)date: Tech Hubs – WisconsinEye [Video]

On January 23, 2025, the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce will host a Lunch(UP)date to discuss updates about the Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs program and its impact on Greater Madison. In 2024, he U.S. Economic Development Administration approved $49 million in Phase 2 funding for the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub, one of just 12 hubs nationwide to receive this funding. Panelists include:

Mass. dad frustrated, hasn’t received pay due to Capital One ‘technical issue’ [Video]
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Mass. dad frustrated, hasn’t received pay due to Capital One ‘technical issue’ [Video]

Problems with a third-party vendor that Capital One uses are affecting some bank customers ability to access money online and igniting anger on social media.The bank said in a statement to CNN that a “technical issue experienced by a third-party vendor” has “temporarily impacted” some of Capital One’s services, including payment processing, deposits, and its consumer, small business, and commercial banks.Plymouth, Massachusetts, dad Matt Lanen is one of the Capital One customers affected by the issue, and because of this, he says he did not get paid as usual on Friday.”I have three children. Day care is more than my mortgage,” Lanen said. “And I have student loans still and other expenses. Right now, I still have no additional funds from my two previous weeks of work and I still can’t access my account.”Capital One sent WCVB the following statement Friday evening regarding the ongoing issue: “We are working closely with the vendor to resolve the issue. System restoration is underway but not yet fully operational.”The statement is also the same message playing on a loop on the bank’s customer service line. Capital One says it is working with its vendor, FIS Global, to resolve the issue, which it describes as technical in nature. The bank had hoped to have customers back online by Friday morning, but at 5 p.m., customers were still getting display screens saying restoration was still underway.The message was little comfort to customers like Lanen who said he received very little if any notice and was counting on their paychecks Friday. “If it was a bank you could walk into, you’d probably have more options, ‘Hey, we’ll write you a check’ but everything’s virtual,” Lanen said. He said he spent hours on hold trying to talk to a representative but had no luck. He still does not have his direct deposit pay, and Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, is a bank holiday. The company says once its systems are restored it will process all deposits and other transactions that have been delayed.Financial expert Michael Armstrong says this two-day system failure at the nation’s ninth largest bank raises a lot of questions. “Where’s the redundancy? How are you relying on one company’s data center to not fail?” Armstrong said. By late Friday evening, Lanen’s paycheck landed in his bank account. However, the delay meant he had already virtually bounced several payments.Armstrong says it is time for customers to speak up. “Certainly, if something ends up in your credit report, each of the three major credit agencies allows you to dispute something. And this seems though this is one of those moments when a dispute would be justified and probably listened to,” Armstrong said.

US Capitol rioters return to DC to celebrate Trump inauguration [Video]
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US Capitol rioters return to DC to celebrate Trump inauguration [Video]

Some rioters charged or convicted in the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol are returning to Washington, D.C., for President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration, according to court filings in a dozen cases and multiple sources familiar with the matter.But some federal judges also recently blocked a handful of other Jan. 6 defendants from attending the inauguration, agreeing with Justice Department prosecutors who argued that letting the rioters return to the scene of the crime could put police officers in danger.Members of the Jan. 6 community who hold nightly vigils at the D.C. jail that houses some defendants have already secured official inauguration tickets, according to multiple sources, and are tapping allies in Trumps orbit to solicit additional tickets. At least one rioter was invited by members of Congress.Most of the defendants coming to D.C. to celebrate Trump were only charged with misdemeanors. But others, like William Pope of Kansas, are facing felonies. Pope pleaded not guilty to civil disorder and obstructing an official proceeding, for blocking police from closing off some doors near the Senate.I think itll be a neat and historical moment, Pope said in an interview with CNN. In a way, coming full circle. With some appropriate symbolism. There are some other people I know that are going to be there. Some folks from Twitter want to say hello. Hopefully, Ill run into a few friendly faces.Trump has promised to pardon many of the nearly 1,600 Jan. 6 defendants, and said he intends to take action on his first day in office, though he has not offered more specifics. The triumphant return to D.C. of even a small cadre of Capitol rioters has outraged prosecutors, judges, and police officers who defended democracy that day.Former U.S. Capitol Police Staff Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, who was wounded during the attack and is now an outspoken Trump critic, called the return of some rioters another betrayal.These are the same people who claim to be on the side of the rule of law, yet they attack us, Gonell told CNN in a statement. They are getting a chance to return to their crime scenes to gloat. They want to be there to be pardoned at the place where they committed their crimes, and be seen as heroes and honorable. That cant further from the truth.Video below: Tech CEOs slated to appear at Trump’s inaugurationAn immense privilege not a rightNearly 1,600 people have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 riot, including at least 600 with serious felony offenses like assaulting police or using a weapon. About 80% of all cases have resulted in guilty pleas or trial convictions, and a couple hundred defendants are currently in prison, according to the latest Justice Department estimates.Criminal defendants that face travel restrictions require judicial approval before a major trip. At least 11 people charged or convicted in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection have asked federal judges to let them attend Trumps inauguration, according to a CNN review of court records. Seven of these rioters were granted permission, while four were turned down.To attend the Presidential Inauguration, which celebrates and honors the peaceful transfer of power, is an immense privilege, Judge Royce Lamberth wrote in a ruling this month, rejecting a travel request from convicted rioter Russell Taylor. It would not be appropriate for the Court to grant permission to attend such a hallowed event to someone who carried weapons and threatened police officers in an attempt to thwart the last Inauguration.Taylor pleaded guilty to conspiring with fellow right-wing Three Percenters to obstruct Congress election certification. He cooperated against his co-defendants and avoided jail.In court filings, Taylor said he and his family were invited to the inauguration by former Utah Rep. Chris Stewart, who left office in 2023 but wrote in a letter that he was extending the invite along with three other current members of Utahs U.S. House delegation. Stewart described Taylor as a man of integrity and faith and praised his love of our Country.A danger to the D.C. communityFederal judges appointed by Democratic and Republican presidents have both approved and rejected these requests. Notably, Judge Tanya Chutkan, who presided over the federal 2020 election subversion case against Trump that was dismissed after the election, recently allowed a nonviolent rioter from Missouri to attend the inauguration.Federal prosecutors from the Justice Department, which has continued bringing charges against new rioters, has largely opposed these requests in court.Rioters coming to Trumps inauguration presents a danger to the D.C. community, they wrote. Prosecutors said letting Pope, the rioter from Kansas, return to the Capitol grounds could put him face to face with the officers that he resisted four years ago and place him in the same circumstance in which he already demonstrated a disregard for the law.In letting Pope come to D.C., the judge noted he is not charged with assault or vandalism.Pope told CNN he was invited to the inauguration by someone tied to Trump world that he declined to identify. He also said hes expecting his criminal case currently slated for a June trial will go away quite quickly after Trump takes power and grants mass clemency.Whether or not we get Greenland probably isnt my biggest priority right now. Its the Jan. 6 issues, Pope said.Help from the Jan. 6 communitySome leaders of the Jan. 6 support movement appear to be organizing efforts to bring some of the rioters and their families to D.C. to celebrate Trumps return to the White House.Micki Witthoeft, the mother of Ashli Babbitt, who was killed by a police officer while she tried to break into the entryway to House chamber on Jan. 6, publicly said at one of the nightly vigils near the D.C. jail she had a recent phone call with Trump.One convicted felony rioter, James Grant, said in filings that he hoped to attend Trumps inauguration and stay at a D.C. home rented by the wife of an incarcerated rioter who is a regular presence at events and vigils supporting Jan. 6 defendants.A judge rejected Grants request, and rebuked him for continuing to affiliate with people who baselessly describe the rioters as political prisoners or hostages, as Trump often does.The notion that convicted Jan. 6 defendants are political prisoners or hostages is preposterous, Judge Jia Cobb wrote in her ruling. Mr. Grants association with such a view undermines any notion of remorse that the Court would want to see to modify Mr. Grants conditions of release to allow him to return to the U.S. Capitol or the District of Columbia.CNN has reached out to Grants attorney seeking comment.The rule of law has been vindicatedMany of the rioters expect that in addition to the inauguration festivities, theyll be in D.C. to celebrate the moment that Trump officially grants pardons, likely on Monday afternoon.In an interview with CNN on Thursday, the U.S. attorney for D.C., whose office prosecuted the Jan. 6 cases, said he opposed pardons and that clemency doesnt erase the history.Even if there are pardons that doesnt undermine the prosecutions, outgoing U.S. attorney Matthew Graves said. There has been a historical record created; the rule of law has been vindicated. A pardon does not wipe away what occurred.Even though only a small number of January defendants are expected at the inauguration on Monday, the symbolism still stings for Gonell, the former Capitol Police officer.The irony is that many officers who they fought against on Jan. 6 will be there protecting and securing the event, regardless of how they feel, Gonell said.

County cuts spending to cover budget shortfall [Video]
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County cuts spending to cover budget shortfall [Video]

Buncombe County is cutting its spending as it deals with a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall caused by the ongoing effects of Tropical Storm Helene.County officials said Thursday the county’s revenues could be under budget between $15.1 million and $25.7 million for this fiscal year, according to their projections.”We have known for the last few months that we were facing challenges,” said Amanda Edwards, the chair of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners. “We knew property tax collections were going to be down, and we knew that visitors were not coming to visit us in droves like they normally do.”Officials said the county is looking to cut its spending by 4%.County management has implemented a hiring freeze with 89 current vacancies. Officials said the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office is freezing the hiring of non-certified employees.A full list of cuts can be found in the county’s presentation.County leaders said more than 9,200 homes were damaged due to Helene and new construction for single-family homes has dropped around 60% since the start of October.Unemployment in the county rose to more than 10% in October and dropped to more than 7% in November.”The biggest revenue line item for the county is our property tax collection, and we are way under collecting where we should be at this point,” Edwards said. Edwards said the trends the county is seeing with its property taxes are being felt across all of its revenues.”As I look at the challenges and the decisions that we have to make, we know that there are going to be an increased need for specific services in our county as a result of the storm,” Edwards said. A 4% cut in funding is also being proposed for both Buncombe County Schools and Asheville City Schools, totaling just under $4.7 million. “We’ve talked about since the storm arrived about cascading effects. Today is a cascading effect,” Buncombe County Schools Superintendent Rob Jackson said. “A significant cut to our budget potentially could significantly impact our ability to serve our students and families. We’re going to do everything we can to mitigate any potential cut.””The 4 percent is going to hit both districts incredibly hard, and there’s no way around it,” said Rebecca Strimer, the vice chair for Asheville City Schools’ Board of Education. “This is painful. This is an incredibly painful moment for our county, and now, it’s trickling down to our children.”District leaders said the cuts could prove difficult if they are approved. “Parents may not see a change in the classroom because we’re going to do everything we can to protect our classrooms,” Jackson said. “Where the change may be, particularly in the immediate future, is in the back side of our operations.””Budget cuts are something that we’re used to talking about,” Strimer said. “We’re used to thinking through, ‘How will we plan for a future with restricted resources?’ What we’re not accustomed to is losing them at the midpoint of the year.”Commissioners will meet on Tuesday to vote on whether or not the funding cuts to the school districts will happen.Edwards said the best thing that can happen to the county’s finances is for state and federal disaster relief to start coming in sooner. However, she said the impact of Helene on the county’s budget could be felt for years to come.

Washington County sheriff plans for the ‘community rebuilding initiative’ to help inmates after release [Video]
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Washington County sheriff plans for the ‘community rebuilding initiative’ to help inmates after release [Video]

WITH THE SHERIFF, THE COMMUNITY REBUILDING INITIATIVE AIMS TO HELP INMATES SUCCEED AFTER THEY GET OUT AND TO ADDRESS OVERCROWDING AT THE JAIL. >> THIS IS VIDEO FROM INSIDE THE WASHINGTON COUNTY DETENTION CENTER TODAY. >> A PILOT PROGRAM TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SOME OF THESE DETAINEES LIVES AND AND PERHAPS REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TIMES THEY COME BACK TO JAIL. >> SHERIFF JAY CANTRELL SAYS A PERSON DETAINED IN THE WASHINGTON COUNTY JAIL RIGHT NOW HAS BEEN BOOKED IN, ON AVERAGE, MORE THAN SIX TIMES. >> SOME OVER 100 TIMES IN JUST IN THE WASHINGTON COUNTY JAIL. SO IF WE CAN REDUCE THAT, IF WE CAN GET THEM SOME TOOLS, SOME EDUCATION, SOME COMPONENTS TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR LIFE OUTSIDE OF JAIL, MAYBE THEY WONT COME BACK. >> THE COMMUNITY REBUILDING INITIATIVE, WHICH WILL BE AT THE OLD CRISIS STABILIZATION UNIT, WOULD HAVE GED CLASSES, SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT, PARENTING GUIDANCE, MENTAL HEALTH CLASSES AND WORKFORCE EDUCATION TO HELP SECURE A JOB AND KIND OF HELP DEFINE A NEW NORMAL FOR THEM SO THEY DONT HAVE TO GO BACK TO SOME OF THEIR OLD HABITS AND THEIR OLD FRIENDS AND THEIR OLD WAYS, BECAUSE THATS ALL THEYVE GOT LEFT. >> WERE HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN GET THEM SOME NEW DIRECTION. >> THE COUNTY RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE OF MORE THAN $355,000 FOR THIS PROGRAM. THE COUNTY IS ALSO PARTNERING WITH A NONPROFIT CALLED RETURNING HOME NWA. >> WHEN THEY GET OUT, THEY DONT HAVE THAT STRUCTURE, AND WERE GOING TO TRY TO HELP EDUCATE THEM AND TEACH THEM SOME OF THAT STRUCTURE TO HELP THEM SUCCEED. >> AS OF NOW, ONLY INMATES WITH A NONVIOLENT CHARGE WITH A BOND OF $10,000 OR LESS ARE ELIGIBLE. AND ULTIMATELY, THE PROSECUTORS OFFICE WOULD ADMIT THEM INTO THE PROGRAM.