Briefs
by John Temple Ligon
City restructuring A 14- member commission looking into alternatives to the structure of Columbia's city government met Monday, November 19, 34 months after reading its mission statement. The strong- mayor form of city government, like Charleston has in its Mayor Joe Riley, appears to be the operational favorite, but Columbia's Mayor Coble argues in favor of a hybrid structure. The mayor's job may lose a little power in the hybrid form when compared with the Charleston model, but Coble's hybrid recommendation for a full- time mayor should raise the mayor's pay to compensate for absence of salary in the private sector. As a part- time mayor, Coble is a well- paid partner in his law firm. As a full- time mayor, he would miss out on many opportunities.

Lafayette, we're still here The renowned Frenchman Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette visited Columbia for a few days during his 13- month, 6,000- mile journey through the 24 United States beginning in late 1824. He stayed in a house on the north side of Gervais Street where a granite marker commemorates the site between Bull and Marion. During our Revolutionary War, Lafayette fought with the American patriots. He came here against the wishes of his family and his king. He spent more than a quarter million dollars of his own money to supply the troops. Columbia, S.C., gets a mention in the exhibition "French Founding Father: Lafayette's Return to Washington's America" at the New York Historical Society through Aug. 10. (212) 873.3400.

Three- way tie for the lead As of Monday, November 19, assuming accuracy within three percentage points, the Republican presidential candidates Giuliani, McCain, and Romney were in a tie in the polls. The Republican primary in South Carolina is January 19.

A commanding lead Also of Monday, November 19, the Clinton lead among the Democrats running for president was 19 percentage points.

Doctors Care at the beach Columbia- based UCI Medical Affiliates Inc owns 58 medical clinics in South Carolina and one in Knoxville, Tenn. In early November, another Doctors Care health center opened in Myrtle Beach, where UCI already had five medical clinics.

Union town Workers at North Charleston's plant that makes a section for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner recently voted for union representation. The majority of the workers at the Vought Aircraft plant voted for representation by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Even with the North Charleston vote, South Carolina has the lowest unionization in the United States.

Delta dawn Atlanta- based Delta Air Lines may be entering a new era as the world's largest carrier if its talks with United Airlines result in a merger. The combination would retain the United name and the corporate headquarters in Chicago, but Atlanta would be the expanded operational center. Besides United, Delta is evaluating other strategic options, such as joining forces with Northwest Airlines. A US Airways hostile bid for Delta last year was successfully fought off by Delta as Delta was emerging from bankruptcy- court protection. Delta Air Lines carries 35 percent of the Columbia Airport's 1.3 million annual passengers.

RISD rumors The Rhode Island School of Design has talked with Charlotte officials in the past year concerning the feasibility for a branch campus in downtown Charlotte. The Charlotte appeal appears to be led by Hugh McCall, formerly chairman at Bank of America. With 2,300 students at its Providence campus, RISD (riz-dee) is adjacent to Brown University, and the two schools enjoy reciprocating enrollments. No admissions alterations are imposed and no tuition added. Arguably the best art school in the U.S., regularly compared with Yale University and the school at the Chicago Art Institute, RISD is also famous for its film school and its school of architecture. If RISD can consider downtown Charlotte, RISD can consider Columbia's Main Street, as the word is out.