Briefs
by John Temple Ligon
Capital investment According to the S.C. Department of Commerce, Richland County attracted a total of $56,950,000 in 2005 for an additional 1,440 jobs. Lexington County drew $88,000,000 for 270 new jobs. For the entire state, 12,370 jobs were created with $2,661,510,000 in capital investment.

Unemployment Richland County unemployment in August was 5.6 percent, which was the same unemployment rate for the state. Lexington County's unemployment rate for August was 4.3 percent, and Fairfield County's, 8.1 percent. The national unemployment rate for August was 4.6 percent.

October jobs report Nationwide, employers added 166,000 jobs in October.

Third quarter earnings SCANA's net income for this year's third quarter was $92 million, and it was $89 million for the same period last year.

Affordable Columbia According to the third annual Coldwell Banker College Home Price Comparison Index, Columbia is the most affordable college town in the Southeastern Conference. Home prices in Columbia for 2007 are averaging $198,967. The most expensive housing in an American college town is found in Palo Alto, Calif., home of Stanford, where the average home price for 2007 is $1,677,000.

Innovista lease The Loccioni Group, based in Italy, will locate their first North American office in USC's Innovista research district. The office will include a purchasing and operations component, employing several people initially with future growth potential in the research and development area. The Loccioni Group provides engineering services in measurement and testing for measurement systems, quality control, automation, ICT, and service.

Inspiration for Columbia The world's No. 1 most bicycle- friendly city is Amsterdam, and Portland, Oregon is No. 2. The selection criteria include the Five Es: Engineering (bike parking, designated lanes, etc.); Encouragement (events and campaigns); Evaluation and Planning (ongoing political bodies that make changes to existing laws and plan for the future); Education (bike maps and awareness campaigns); and Enforcement (making motorists heel).

Vought plows ahead

According to the Charleston Regional Business Journal,

Vought Aircraft Industries' fuselage plant in North Charleston is "among the riskiest, if not the riskiest" of Boeing's major suppliers for its Dreamliner 787 project. Eighteen months ago, Vought faced a liquidity crises that nearly caused it to fold. It is renegotiating contract- payment terms for its work on the 787 that would bring it more money sooner from Boeing.

Five Diamond Award goes to Kiawah The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort received AAA's Five Diamond Award for the second consecutive year. Nationwide, 100 hotels are expected to receive the Five Diamond Award for 2008.

Ports The S.C. Ports Authority handled five percent fewer 20- footlong containers through the end of its fiscal year, June 30, 2007. For its fiscal year 2007, the Port of Savannah reported a 14.5 percent gain over the same period a year earlier.

Financial security The Corporation for Enterprise Development, a non- profit economic think tank, ranked South Carolina 42nd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia as to whether families were not likely to have a financial cushion in case of money woes. The state also had a high foreclosure rate ranking of 45th. Overall, South Carolina was graded a D in family financial security. Also graded a D were Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah, and West Virginia.

Pelion Lexington County has already spent almost $600,000 in its purchase and early upgrades of the Pelion airport. An additional $3.2 million, mostly federal funds, over the next six years is expected to be spent to bring the airport up to acceptable standards.