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Why this South Carolina county is seeing an investment boom

Jul 12, 2021
Spartanburg County is receiving more investment this year than in the last four years, much of it in manufacturing.
About 36% of Spartanburg County jobs are auto-related, said David Britt, chair of the county's economic development committee. The local economy is enjoying what he calls "Earth-shattering numbers."
Sean Gallup/Getty Images

3 states will exit federal pandemic unemployment programs. More are likely to follow.

May 10, 2021
The Republican governors of Arkansas, Montana and South Carolina say the benefits keep people out of the workforce.
Arkansas, Montana and South Carolina are opting out, but the U.S. economy is down more than 8 million jobs since the pandemic hit.
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

Jaime Harrison raises record $57 million in S.C. Senate race against Graham

The explosion in Democratic donations has been connected to concern about the fate of the Supreme Court.
Harrison's $57 million is highest quarterly fundraising total for any Senate candidate in U.S. history.
Sean Rayford/Getty Images

When finding fossils pays the bills

How Schuyler Andrulat of South Carolina turned a lifelong hobby of hunting shark teeth into a job.
A secret fossil hunting location near Summerville, South Carolina.
Sabri Ben-Achour/Marketplace

This South Carolina county councilman is "like a walking billboard for international trade"

Oct 16, 2018
David Britt helped bring jobs to Spartanburg. Now he's fighting against the president's tariffs.
Spartanburg County Councilman David Britt is one of the people who initially convinced BMW to open a factory.
Bridget Bodnar/Marketplace

This South Carolina county councilman is "like a walking billboard for international trade"

Oct 16, 2018
David Britt helped bring jobs to Spartanburg. Now he's fighting against the president's tariffs.
Spartanburg County Councilman David Britt is one of the people who initially convinced BMW to open a factory.
Bridget Bodnar/Marketplace

The automotive supply chain is "truly a global market"

May 24, 2018
What makes an imported car an imported car? It's complicated.
Workers assemble Porsche Cayenne and Panamera cars at an assembly line at the Porsche factory in 2012 in Leipzig, Germany.
Sean Gallup/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

"We make German cars, in America"

Aug 16, 2017
Spartanburg County made a big bet on globalization when they landed a BMW manufacturing facility 25 years ago. Here's what that looks like today.
Inside Assembly North at BMW's Spartanburg manufacturing facility, the biggest BMW factory in the world.
Bridget Bodnar/Marketplace

The place where globalization kept its promise

Aug 15, 2017
It's clear today that not all boats rose in the tide of globalization...but in some places, it sure does feel like it.
A collection of newspapers from BMW's early days in Spartanburg county.
Bridget Bodnar/Marketplace

Stay or go? Evacuations carry a price

Oct 6, 2016
For some, it might be too expensive to leave — even with state subsidies.