Briefs
by John Temple Ligon
Rededicate Five Points Senator Lindsay Graham and members of Columbia City Council will speak Monday, October 29, at noon at the Five Points Fountain. The occasion will be the rededication ceremony to mark the end of construction- for now, anyway.

Shell The Columbia World Affairs Council is hosting the U.S. head of Shell for a provocative look at what we need to do to meet provide an energy supply for the future. John Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil Company, sees an urgent need to discuss the issues of energy supply, access, alternative fuels, and environmental responsibility. Hofmeister will speak at a noon luncheon in the Summit Club on top of the Wilbur Smith Building Monday, November 5. Later in the day, he will address the Walker Institute of International and Area Studies in the Lumpkin Auditorium, 8th floor, USC's Moore School of Business, at 3:30 pm. Contact Haneez Zattam , 252-2197.

Mungo Homes Columbia's Mungo Homes was selected as a winner of the 2008 National Housing Quality Award. The NAHB Research Center and Reed Business Information, publishers of Professional Builder and Professional Remodeler Magazines,

announced the five national winners. Modeled after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the NHQ Awards represent the home building industry's highest recognition for quality achievement and operational excellence. Mungo is the only S.C. builder ever presented with the award.

Looking good among the big boys Headquartered in Lexington and building a new branch on Columbia's Main Street, First Community Bank reported positive third- quarter results, particularly when compared with Bank of America and Wachovia. First Community had a net income of $1,148,000, a respectable 27 percent gain over last year's $903,000 for the same period. Bank of America reported a 32 percent drop in third- quarter earnings, and Wachovia, a 10 percent drop.

Esquire recognizes S.C. chef Summerville's Woodlands Resort & Inn, where both the hotel and the restaurant carry a Mobil Five- Star rating and a Five- Diamond Award from AAA, is the home kitchen for Chef Tarver King. The November issue of Esquire magazine named King one of its "Chefs to Watch" for the year.

Going green, somewhat Santee Cooper adopted an aggressive resolution to generate at least 40 percent of its power by 2020 from sources that do not emit greenhouse gases. Just over 10 percent of the state- owned utility's energy comes from either nuclear or renewable resources, while 77 percent comes from coal- burning plants. Including Santee Cooper, 55 percent of South Carolina's electricity comes from nuclear power plants. Santee Cooper is forging ahead with its plans to build a 600- megawatt pulverized coal power plant in southern Florence County. Coal power plants are among the planet's biggest producers of greenhouse gases.

Jasper County port focus of six- month study Gov. Sonny Perdue of Georgia and S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford are forging a plan for a jointly- run port on the S.C. side of the Savannah River. A two- state six- member panel spent six months hashing out plans for the port. The final plans are due for disclosure by the governors in early November.

From Hugh Weathers, the S.C. Agriculture Commissioner "Throughout the development of the new farmers market, two principles have guided my actions as Commissioner of Agriculture. One is that the primary mission of the S.C. Department of Agriculture is to effectively serve the farmers of our state by creating opportunities for success. The other is that I have a responsibility to make efficient use of state resources that have been invested in this project....Almost three years ago....was the arrangement that Richland County would design, construct, and finance facilities for the major wholesale vendors on the county's land at the new market site. It now appears that will not happen. It is my responsibility to develop a new farmers market, which was determined by state leadership to be critical to the future of our state's agricultural economy....We are looking at several alternatives to develop a new market....These options involve greater inclusion of private investment resources. As Commissioner of Agriculture....I will work closely with our state's elected leadership and the business community to create an alternative plan that will enhance the economic opportunities for the farm community."