COLUMBIA, S.C. – April 17, 2006 – Extra! Extra! Read all about it! South Carolina’s new Web portal (www.SC.gov) receives more than 260,000 hits each day and hosts upwards of 15,000 daily visits. Now state agency and government organization press releases and news items are featured on the SC.GOV homepage. If you haven’t heard the news, now you can read about it online. The SC.GOV News Center makes it easier to stay abreast of breaking news in state government.
The SC.GOV News Center is a major component of the SC.GOV Web portal, a partnership between the Budget and Control Board’s Division of the Chief Information Officer and South Carolina Interactive. The News Center uses a Web-based content management and set of tools to make creating and posting press releases a breeze. State agencies and organizations do not need to know complicated Web page development – it’s similar to writing a document in Word. Using this software, agencies are able to designate multiple employees to create, approve and post items to the News Center. The News Center provides government information officers the ability to reach a wider audience.
News releases will first be featured on the SC.GOV home page and will then be available on the News Center main page and listed by topic and organization. The News Center provides another channel for state agencies and organizations to share with the public what is going on in state government and around the state. The News Center also provides citizens direct access to news and information specific to South Carolina and its communities.
Have you been searching for the perfect South Carolina item for your home, your office, or as a gift? You may be able to find it at the SC.GOV Shopping Mall. State agencies and entities of local government can now take advantage of a new online shopping mall service. This system gives state government organizations the ability to create a store, maintain an inventory, and sell their South Carolina products online. There are currently three stores in the Online Shopping Mall: The South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Museum Gift Shop, The Gift Shop at the Archives and History Center, and The Cotton Mill Exchange at the South Carolina State Museum.
SC.GOV’s Shopping Mall provides another avenue for state stores to grow their business and make shopping more convenient for the public. The Shopping Mall can be found in the Online Services section of SC.GOV. Visitors can shop by a specific store or browse for items from all stores in departments such as apparel, accessories, and books. People are able to pay for purchases online by credit or debit card and the items will be shipped right to their front door. Some popular items include tapestry throws, lapel pins and other jewelry, and books relating to South Carolina state history and historical markers. Proceeds from sales at these stores go to supporting the museums and agencies exhibits and educational programs and help organizations serve as a historical and cultural resource.
The News Center and the Online Shopping Mall are accessible 24 hours a day and seven days a week. SC.GOV’s goal is to be the first place people go to for all their state government needs.
About SC.gov
SC.gov is the official Web site of the State of South Carolina (www.SC.gov) and a collaborative effort between the State and South Carolina Interactive to Web-enable the State’s information services. SC.gov was built and is managed by South Carolina Interactive, a Columbia-based subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC (Nasdaq: EGOV) and private sector partner which manages the state’s official Web site under contract with the Budget and Control Board’s Division of the Chief Information Officer.
About NIC
NIC manages more eGovernment services than any provider in the world. The company helps government communicate more effectively with citizens and businesses by putting essential services online. NIC provides eGovernment solutions for 2,200 state and local agencies that serve more than 60 million people in the United States. Additional information is available at www.nicusa.com.