How smart is Smart Growth? By Dan McCue It’s the development philosophy that inevitably leads to a loaded question: Are you for smart growth or against it?
Closing fund helps state compete By Dan McCue The South Carolina Department of Commerce may soon have a new economic development tool at its disposal—a $7 million fund to spend any way it sees fit to sweeten deals for businesses considering relocating to the state.
Municipalities scramble to ink tattoo ordinances By Jessica Johnson Charles and Holly Gamblin waited for years to open their tattoo studio. The owners of Body Piercing by Holly in Summerville and American Standard Body Piercing in West Ashley actively pursued change as state lawmakers fought over legalizing the business, and the couple watched as some municipalities approved zoning for tattoo facilities while others left ordinances in place, effectively banning the business.
New West Ashley facility fights breast cancer By Dennis Quick Dr. Lisa Baron, a radiologist, and her cancer surgeon husband, Paul, last year set out to battle breast cancer. The disease accounts for 32% of all female cancer cases in South Carolina and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among South Carolina women.
Stemming the high dropout tide involves all of us By Dennis Quick The Trident One-Stop Career Center’s “Change a Life, Hire a Kid” campaign is well underway. It’s trying to encourage private businesses to change some lives by hiring kids for summer jobs.
Charleston region ‘moving the needle’ on health care issues By Bill Settlemyer When you’re trying to “move the needle” on big social issues like education or health care, it takes a great deal of time and effort to achieve small gains, and time is often the most precious commodity. Yet advocates for change press on, knowing that the ultimate goals are worthy of their efforts.
Federal highway system needs mid-life correction By Sen. Jim DeMint This year we celebrate the 50th birthday of our interstate highway system. When President Dwight D. Eisenhower envisioned a national system of interstate highways, his general’s mind was understandably frustrated by the many weeks it took to travel from “sea to shining sea.”
Letter to the editor There are two bills to increase the state cigarette tax by a significant amount before the South Carolina Legislature. These measures represent an important step toward protecting South Carolina’s children and taxpayers from the devastating toll of tobacco.
Property tax debate takes new shape in Senate By Andy Brack Hats off to state senators for a responsible, relatively progressive proposal to reshape the way property is taxed in South Carolina. Compared to the fiery, reactionary plan passed in February by the state House, the Senate proposal is a breath of fresh air.
Investment in industrial sites fuels residential growth By Dan McCue In Dorchester County, a growing industrial base is seen as the key to fostering and supporting the region’s booming residential development, according to the head of the county’s economic development fund.
Maritime Law Institute bridges industry, law interests By Shelia Watson A new institute at the Charleston School of Law is focused on the study and research of admiralty and maritime law, with an emphasis on laws involving intermodal and ocean transportation.
NanoScreen expanding business, getting smaller By Shelia Watson NanoScreen LLC, a manufacturing company that specializes in the production and packaging of pharmaceutical research supplies, has just gotten smaller—in the size of its new 1536 pipette, used for distributing small amounts of liquid accurately.
Integration essential in today’s marketing world By Bruce D. Murdy For the past decade, the large advertising firms in New York, Chicago, Atlanta and elsewhere have touted the newly discovered idea of “integration,” the idea of bringing the seemingly contrasting disciplines within communications companies—public relations, direct marketing, interactive advertising, etc.—together under one roof.
Digital Corridor revered as best practice community By Shelia Watson The Charleston Digital Corridor, the city’s creative effort to attract, nurture and grow knowledge-based companies and industry professionals in the Charleston region, has been recognized as a city agency ahead of its peers.
Conservation center to restore local artifacts By Dan McCue An expansion of the Warren Lasch Conservation Center, where forensic and scientific work continues on the CSS H.L. Hunley, will be the first step in the development of Clemson University’s planned 65-acre Restoration Institute campus at the old Charleston Naval Base in North Charleston.
Research authority set to ‘Launch’ program By Shelia Watson The South Carolina Innovation and Research Centers Act, passed by the state Legislature last year, launched Innovation Centers at each of the state’s three research universities, operated through the South Carolina Research Authority.
Bill could limit SPA’s ability to develop Jasper port By Dan McCue Only days after the South Carolina Supreme Court effectively handed the South Carolina State Ports Authority a virtual right of first refusal in regard to developing a cargo container terminal in Jasper County, a bill has been introduced in the General Assembly that would limit the SPA’s ability to act on that ruling.
Business ethics should be priority for business leaders By Shelia Watson At a recent panel discussion on business ethics sponsored by Lee Hecht Harrison, Charleston’s business leaders were invited “to better understand the critical nature of this issue,” said Steven Spires, senior vice president and managing director of the sponsoring company.
eSchoolware gets assistance from Digital Corridor By Shelia Watson When Elaina Ezelle, president and founder of eSchoolware, restructured her company earlier this year, she found herself in a dilemma. Her company’s growth showed a need for larger space, but she needed the space now.
Rural health care centers get $50,000 shot in arm By Jessica Johnson A man behind the Cane Bay Plantation development in Berkeley County might be setting a new trend, but it’s not for his community design.
Don’t get stuck in your job By Barbara Poole My friend Margaret has a black belt in personal reinvention. She has packed more into the past 10 years than many people do in an entire lifetime. Not a woman to shy away from change, Margaret has made numerous major career transitions in her adult life, and she always manages to land on her feet.
States shy away from legislating smart growth By Dan McCue South Carolina may not have a legislated smart-growth plan, but it’s not alone in that regard, according to a Rutgers University professor who has done an analysis of national growth development trends and teaches growth management to planning and zoning officials.
Park Circle: A rediscovery of smart growth building principals By Dan McCue John Knott believes embracing smart growth isn’t so much a matter of grasping a new trend as it is bringing life to a development model that was the norm when his grandfather started the family business in 1908.
Charleston follows trend in upscale condominiums By Nadia Shamsedin Can the nation expect to experience a housing bubble? The flurry of residential real estate development in the Charleston metropolitan area has many people asking that question, but experts speaking recently at the Counselors of Real Estate conference in Charleston say they don’t think so.
Beach Co. begins marketing ‘Watermark’ mixed-use development By Dennis Quick This spring, construction will begin on Mount Pleasant’s new community of Watermark, The Beach Co.’s 82-acre development near the intersection of Bowman and Rifle Range roads.
Single-, multi-family homes to lead growth in 2006 By Dan McCue The tri-county region’s real estate market is continuing to grow at record levels, a positive sign for the local economy as a whole, despite rising mortgage rates and an anticipated spike in construction materials costs due to the ongoing recovery from Hurricane Katrina.
Berkeley County enters development agreement By Jessica Johnson Members of the Berkeley County Council have unanimously approved a development agreement with Crescent Resources and the Parks of Berkeley, making way for a new 13,000-home community situated on 4,500 acres between Summerville and Moncks Corner.
Local sailing sports scene racing into limelight By Dennis Quick Nearly 150 competitive sailing teams participated in this year’s Charleston Race Week, a regatta held April 6-9 in Charleston Harbor.
Strategic plan helps College of Charleston brand identity By Shelia Watson Faculty members at the College of Charleston recently completed a series of conversations regarding the identity of the college as a liberal arts and sciences institution.
Big business dreams begin with small steps By Ted Albenesius If you are one of the thousands of U.S. workers who have been affected by the wide economic swings of the past few years, this may be a good time to consider starting that small business you have always dreamed of owning.
Calendar • APRIL 18: Professional Referrals Network meeting. 12:15-1:30 p.m. at the Omar Shrine Center, Mount Pleasant. Cost: $9. Information: Beth Kempton, 762-8042.
People in the News Prudential Carolina Real Estate announced several new agents. Katie Hume, Will Hodges and Sandra Weathers joined the Long Point Road office, Mount Pleasant; Donna Greenley, Joe Christie and Marc Hehn joined the Main Street office, Summerville; Sam Broadway joined the Mount Pleasant North office, Mount Pleasant; Kyle Wilson and Jim LeBrun joined the Orleans Road office, West Ashley; Bill Golde and Dick Sapp joined the Ashley River Road office, West Ashley; Ruth Castro joined the Trolley Road office, Summerville; Anna Lusk joined the Clements Ferry Road office; Doug Holmes joined the Wappoo Road office, James Island; Christopher Thomas and Pat Hogan joined the Folly Road office, James Island; Brantlee deBrux joined the Coleman Boulevard office, Mount Pleasant; and Susan Richburg joined the Metro North office, Goose Creek.
Giving Back Golf tournament raises money for elementary school
More than 100 participants in the Second Annual Calling All Angels Golf Tournament, hosted by Kiawah Island’s Osprey Point Golf Course, raised more than $20,000 for educational and enrichment materials for children attending Angel Oak Elementary School on Johns Island. Pictured, from left, Pat Casey, Howard Stein, Bill Pohhater and Mac McCannan.
Photo Finish COMPANY HELPS PREPARE STUDENTS FOR CAREERSGiant Cement is presenting career planning workshops for Woodland High School juniors and seniors during the spring and fall semesters. During six, 90-minute sessions, students learn how to complete an employment application, how to create a resume, how to prepare for an interview and experience a mock job interview. Pictured: Sandra Chzasz, customer service manager for Giant Resource Recovery Co., a subsidiary of Giant Cement Holding Inc., speaks to students.
Accolades & More Cody Burg, a real estate agent with Weichert, Realtors—Dean-Kelby, has received his broker certification.
News Briefs Vought reports increasing sales, losses
Vought Aircraft Industries Inc. reported both higher net sales and higher net losses for 2005, the latter in part due to non-recurring costs associated with the construction of its new facility in Charleston.
