Briefs
by John Temple Ligon
What could work here In about another month, people in Washington, D.C., will be able to borrow a bicycle at any time. Available at ten spots around town, 120 bicycles will be installed by SmartBike DC, a public- private venture and part of advertiser Clear Channel Outdoors. Clear Channel will have exclusive advertising rights in Washington's bus shelters, which explains how the annual membership fee can be held to $40. An arrangement with Clear Channel is in the works in San Francisco, and proposals are under consideration in Portland, Ore., and Chicago. Paris and Barcelona started similar bicycle programs about a year ago, and each city has thousands of bicycles on loan for an annual membership fee.

Lutheran houses Devine Street's Incarnation Lutheran Church is donating four homes to the City of Columbia. A partnership among the church, the city and contractor James Warren will put four renovated Shandon- style bungalows into the Waverly and Lyon Street communities, where the completed homes will be sold to qualified families through the CityLiving Loan Program.

Going national Deborah Moore, CEO of AccuStar EMR and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Small Business Person of the Year for South Carolina, has been named the second runner- up at the national level. The winners are selected on their record of stability, growth in employment and sales, financial condition, innovation, response to adversity and community service. AccuStat is a client of the S.C. Woman's Business Center.

South Carolina in China The South Carolina Department of Commerce's state office in Shanghai has been recognized as one of three foreign economic development and investment agencies for assisting Chinese companies in investing abroad. The other two winners are the federal organizations of Australia and Sweden. South Carolina is the only U.S. organization and also the only regional organization to win the award.

US Airways and United talking Reuters and The Associated Press have reported on a possible merger between US Airways and United Airlines. The deal could be done in another two weeks. US Airways has its largest hub at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport.

Trade conference More than 500 international logistics and trade professionals will attend the 35th annual South Carolina International Trade Conference at the Charleston Place Hotel, May 27- 29. For more information, visit info@scitc.org.

Dreamliner Vought Aircraft Industries Inc. in North Charleston has delivered the plant's first complete 787 Dreamliner fuselage sections to Boeing in Seattle.

The top steel manufacturer in the U.S. American Metal Market magazine has recognized Charlotte- based Nucor Corp. as the nation's top steel manufacturer. Nucor produced more than 22 million tons of steel last year, the most in the country. Second was U.S. Steel Corp., with 16.8 million tons.

DuPont expands DuPont's Cooper River site near Moncks Corner has a new plant under construction at a cost of $500 million. It's the largest Kevlar capacity increase since the fiber was introduced in 1965. The plant will expand production of the company's Kevlar fiber, which is used to stop bullets and which strengthens the structures of airplanes and bridges.

Greenville downtown competes The Downtown Owners Group and the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce are urging the City of Greenville to join them in hiring a director for downtown retail recruiting. As part of the new effort to bolster downtown occupancy, the City of Greenville recently took over the area's troubled bus system, now call Greenlink.

Many misunderstandings Over the past two years, the S.C. Department of Commerce has seen 52 of its experienced people leave the agency's work force of about 120. The Legislature appears moving forward with new authorization for restored film production subsidies, a correction over the reductions imposed by the Department of Commerce. The Legislature also is taking the film office out of Commerce and putting it into Parks, Recreation and Tourism.