Good morning, Florence.

Several Halloween events are planned across the area this week and weekend: Darlington's Scare on the Square starts at 5 p.m. with a 7 p.m. Hocus Pocus screening; Darlington Library hosts crafts Saturday 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; Hartsville has story-time at 7 p.m. and a Witch's Run 5K Saturday 8 a.m.-1 p.m.; Dillon and Latta have trunk-or-treats and festivals.

An $18 million Levy Park Reimagination will add an accessible playground, dog park, splash pad, courts, restrooms, food-truck space, and a replacement road to route traffic away from play areas, and construction is expected to start in spring 2027 with nearly $9 million in federal grant funding.

Hwasung Group Inc., an electrical and electronic components manufacturer, announced it will invest $5 million to open an operation in Florence County; company officials did not provide timing or job details.

Hwasung Group will invest $5 million to open a 58,000 sqft manufacturing facility at 1611 Otis Way (Florence County) and will create 32 jobs in 2027.

Phase one is expected online in Jan. 2027, with phase two coming in the second half of the year.

Battery maker AESC says it remains committed to investing $1.6 billion in Florence County (company and economic development officials said the project will continue to move forward).

Raceway Ford & Chevrolet donated a 2025 Ford Escape to Florence‑Darlington Technical College so Automotive Technology students can train on current vehicle technology through Ford ACE (Ford Motor Company's Automotive Career Exploration program).

CARE House of the Pee Dee announced it earned reaccreditation from the National Children's Alliance and added a child-abuse prevention accreditation, allowing the center to continue providing coordinated services and training for abused children and families in the Pee Dee.