Briefs
by John Temple Ligon
As the beach crowd sees it

Sun News

According to the Sun News, the nation's economy in 2007 could have the worst growth in five years. In a recent national survey, more than 60 percent of those responding said recession was the major risk facing the economy for the next year. At Myrtle Beach, the local unemployment rates are expected to hold as the lowest in the state.

Belk

Charlotte- based Belk, the largest privately owned department store company in the country, recently bought 38 Parisian stores in the Southeast and the Midwest. Belk kept 25 of the Parisian stores and rebranded them with the Belk name, bringing Belk's store total to 300. Belk sold the remaining Parisian stores.

Charleston IMAX

The Charleston IMAX Theatre in the Aquarium Wharf area had to close its doors in mid- September due to falling ticket sales. Nationwide, the IMAX Corp. reported a 28 percent revenue decline for the second quarter this year.

Holder

The developer of Main Street's Meridian Building and the Adesso residential condominium project at the corner of Blossom and Main, Holder Properties wants to develop a 388- unit apartment complex at Assembly and Whaley. Holder is buying some of its property from the Chase Co., which includes David Chase, A.C. Flora '65. Another parcel has to be bought from Columbia's Charles Small, who developed the new apartment building on the east side of Pickens Street just south of Greene Street.

Patents

For the past three years, patents awarded to S.C. firms were 538, 550, and 667 respectively, showing an impressive percentage increase in 2006. With about twice the population, N.C. won 2,153 patents in 2006.

Drought

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently declared 85 of N.C.'s 100 counties disaster areas due to drought. All S.C. counties except Beaufort and Jasper are in a severe drought, according to the S.C. Dept. of Natural Resource's Drought Response Committee.

Biz schools

The Wall Street Journal/Harris Interactive Business School Survey ranked UNC's Kenan- Flagler Business School No. 6 among the nation's business schools. The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University was ranked No. 13 in the same category. USC's Moore School of Business was ranked 49th among 51 regional business schools, which is a second- tier category below the national schools like UNC and Duke.

Tobacco vs. corn

An acre of tobacco can net its farmer $1,800, while an acre of corn can be expected to bring in profits of only $250.

Columbia's growth

Over the next 30 years about 250,000 people are expected to move to the Columbia area. The city must put together a comprehensive land- use plan every 10 years, and a series of upcoming public meetings will help in the planning: October 10, 7- 9 pm, at MLK Jr. Park Community Center, 2300 Greene St.; October 29, 7- 9 pm, at Eau Claire Print Building, 3907 Ensor Ave.; and November 15, 7:30- 9:30 am., at City Council chambers, City Hall, corner of Laurel St. and Main St.

Coal war

While conservationists urge further study and more time to allow for the results of a federal environmental impact statement, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control recently announced it will issue a draft air pollution permit for the Santee Cooper coal- fired plant in rural Florence County. Santee Cooper is playing by the rules as is DHEC. DHEC can't delay a legitimate air permit when the applicant has met all the requirements under the rules. If the rules need changing, if the sequence and process need tweaking, the protesting conservationists must take the corrective- action route through the legislature. Come November, DHEC plans for a public hearing on the draft air pollution permit.