Briefs
by John Temple Ligon

Republicans on the beach The January 10, 2008, debate among the Republican presidential contenders will be in Myrtle Beach. Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston made token efforts to snare the potential $20 million boost from 10,000 visitors, including 800 national and international media types, but the Myrtle Beach ability to score 4,000 hotel rooms on a 48- hour notice sealed the deal. Myrtle Beach moved fast in the third week of August when Michigan shifted to a primary or caucus on January 15, the date originally set for S.C.'s second Republican debate. Moving the debate to January 10, the Republicans heard from S.C.'s cities, settled on Myrtle Beach, and also reached an agreement with Fox News to carry the debate.

Self- extinguishing cigarettes Fire- safe cigarettes will be required in N.C. as of January 1, 2010. In the U.S., another 21 states have similar laws requiring a cigarette be made with paper that includes two bands of material that smother burning tobacco unless the cigarette is actually being smoked. S.C. has no such law.

Hollywood sees a movie- making cluster forming Cinelease Inc., a movie- equipment rental company, has set up shop in Charlotte's University City, its first East Coast facility. The company has locations in Shreveport, La.; Las Vegas; Chicago; and its headquarters in Burbank, Calif. The Charlotte shop will carry an inventory of production supplies, including camera dollies and lighting equipment.

Columbia film production workshop In USC's McMaster Building, room 214, there will be a film production workshop on September 22 and 23. Topics will include scheduling, insurance, script revisions, and other production matters necessary for making movies. Grant- chasing entrants in the 2007- 2008 funding round of the S.C. Film Production Fund must complete the workshop to qualify for a funding grant. Registration is $50. For more information on registration, contact Tom Clark at the S.C. Film Commission, 737.0498 or tclark@sccommerce.com.

Columbia's minor- league market Out of 242 minor- league sports markets in the country, Columbia is ranked No. 114 by Sports Business Journal. With its S.C. Stingrays hockey team, the Charleston RiverDogs baseball team, and the Charleston Battery soccer team, Charleston is ranked No. 50. Greenville is No. 219. Florence is No. 199; and Myrtle Beach, No. 115.

Lader on board Philip Lader, a partner in the Charleston law office of Columbia- based Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP and a former president of Winthrop College, has been reappointed to a second three- year term on the Harvard Law School Board of Visitors. Lader graduated from Harvard Law School. Also in April, Lader was reappointed to the board of 300- year- old Lloyd's of London, the global insurance giant, and his appointment was approved by the head of the Bank of England.

Richland County tax collections From July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007, the Richland County Treasurer's Office collected 449,729 property tax payments to bring in $456 million.

Fewer homes According to the Home Builders of S.C., Columbia should see 6,000 new homes by the end of 2007, down 8% from the previous year. Charleston expects 5,800, down 26%.

S.C. beaches erode Along the northeast Isle of Palms and the south end of Pawleys Island are S.C.'s two most vulnerable beaches in the next major storm. Tourism is a $4 billion industry along the 60- mile stretch of beaches from Georgetown to the N.C. state line.

Garaged treasure Ohio multi- millionaire Richard Solove sold his Rolls- Royces, models from 1907- 1915, for $14.35 million. The most expensive, a 1912 Rolls "Corgi" limousine, sold for $2.97 million.

Mailer on stage and on exhibition Author of The Naked and the Dead, a 1948 novel about WWII, Norman Mailer will read from some of his works at 6 pm, September 25, in the Colonial Center. Admission is free. The Thomas Cooper Library will display Mailer's books and manuscripts from September 15 through October 30.

Gordon Brown, prime minister of the U.K. According to Charleston's Post & Courier, Brown can be a big fan of the U.S., as evidenced when he calls English football soccer, drinks cold beer, vacations at Myrtle Beach, drives a Mustang, and tells Parliament to "Git 'r done."