COLUMBIA -- Immigration reform is at the top of many state lawmakers’ lists, and reform appears likely during this year’s session. Wednesday marked the first deadline for lawmakers to pre-file bills for the upcoming session that begins Jan. 8. Bills for the S.C. Senate were available online Wednesday. House bills won’t be available until today.

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NEWBERRY -- Kraft Foods Global Inc. has added about 440 workers at its meat products plant in Newberry since the beginning of the year, but the hiring isn't over yet. The company will fill another 600 positions, bringing the plant's total employment to about 2,300. That's 1,040 additional jobs for the year.

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COLUMBIA -- A Centers of Economic Excellence report presented to the Budget and Control Board finds that an important program funded by lottery money is fueling critical research in areas that will advance South Carolina's economy. The report emphasizes the collaboration of endowed professorships created by the CoEE Program from 2003-06 and credits the Endowed Chairs Program for unprecedented scientific collaboration among the three research universities, citing one-third of the CoEEs are scientific partnerships between and among S.C. public institutions.

ANDERSON-- Demolition is expected to start this week in an extreme makeover at AnMed Health Medical Center. Several buildings are being removed as part of a four-year, $74 million renovation at the 461-bed hospital on Fant Street. The work is being done in stages and will cause minor inconveniences, hospital officials said. Hospital staff said the construction is small price to pay for the long-term improvements coming to patients’ care.

Read more at The (Anderson) Independent-Mail...