Calendar JUNE 11: Financial Aid workshop. 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at Trident Technical College, Berkeley campus. Learn how financial aid, including lottery-funded tuition assistance, can help you pay for college. Bring your 2006 federal tax return and W-2 statement, and we’ll help you fill out the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Information: 574-6110.
Accolades & More Jon D. Tirpak, a program manager at the Advanced Technology Institute, was named trustee for ASM International, formerly known as the American Society of Metals. Founded in 1913, ASM International is the leading technical society for materials engineers and scientists.
People in the News The Lowcountry Graduate Center hired Steve Barry as technology manager, Nakisha Scott as administrative assistant and Chris Duncan as marketing coordinator.
States lead the way on universal health care By Bill Settlemyer As we move through the early stages of what has to be the longest presidential primary campaign in history, it’s becoming evident that access to affordable and effective health care is going to be a hot button issue.
Al Parish: A buffoon or criminal mastermind? By Dan McCue Was Al Parish a narcissist driven to fraud by an inordinate need to be seen as a larger-than-life persona? Or was he merely, in the words of his attorney, a buffoon who got in over his head after others took advantage of him?
Consultant likes what he sees on King Street By Kathleen Dayton An urban retail consultant who in 2003 presented the city of Charleston with a 10-year plan to improve its central business district recently returned to check on the city’s progress. He liked what he saw.
Pegasus Steel flies into Lowcountry By Dan McCue Sometimes in the global economy, simply having someone willing and able to facilitate local connections can be the most decisive factor in where and when an international business chooses to set down roots.
New home builders giving incentives that take the cake By Kathleen Dayton If you’re shopping for a home, don’t be surprised if you hear the real estate agent say, “Would you like a boat to go with that?” In a softer housing market where buyers rule, home builders are creating all kinds of incentives to entice house hunters to make a purchase.
Cluster-based economic development makes statewide impact By Shelia Watson The most effective way to grow the economy in the state and remain competitive on a regional and national scale is through existing and emerging “clusters of innovation.”
Parish’s world unravels By Dan McCue Al Parish first became seriously involved in investing during the mid-1990s when he and a few other individuals began pooling their money and investing collectively, with the economist “managing” the investments.
Parish’s breakdown By Dan McCue When Al Parish returned to his office at Charleston Southern University after delivering his economic forecast for the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce on March 29, he began to complain to an assistant of a severe headache and trouble with his vision.
Perceptions, land costs create affordable housing obstacles in Lowcountry By Dennis Quick With the median price of a Lowcountry home at $215,000 and the average annual Lowcountry salary at $32,000, the region has a strong need for affordable housing, panelists and other attendees emphasized at the recent “Housing for All: Developing Housing for the Workforce” conference.
N. Charleston getting public involved in its future development By Dennis Quick At the North Charleston planning commission’s May 29 open meeting initiating public participation in the city’s comprehensive plan, a blueprint determining North Charleston’s development over the next decade, city residents reflected the seriousness of the matter.
JW Aluminum sees opportunities in slowing industry By Dan McCue In spite of an industrywide slowdown that has lingered now for nearly five quarters, JW Aluminum in Mt. Holly continues to grow, adding two smaller companies to its corporate portfolio during the month of May alone.
The Beach Co. develops opposing projects to keep balance By Kathleen Dayton One of the Charleston area’s oldest real estate companies is building two completely different projects a few miles apart in the center of Mount Pleasant.
Mixson Avenue designed with European flavor By Dennis Quick Cobblestone alleys and lanes, a variety of housing styles, interconnected streets and walkways, public parks—these are some of the features of North Charleston’s forthcoming Mixson Avenue development slated for the Park Circle area.
Energy Star new home certification program By Claude St. Hilaire Concerns over rising energy costs and global warming are changing the way people view new home construction. Voluntary home certification programs are becoming increasingly popular with builders and homeowners as an opportunity to protect the environment.
Island development is ‘capstone’ of Park West By Holly Fisher Park Island is a model for exclusive Charleston area living. The 30-acre island is located at the back of the Park West community in Mount Pleasant. Surrounded by the Wando River and Toomer Creek, the community is accessible by a gated bridge, built specifically for the island.
Classic Remodeling eases stress of renovation By Olivia Pool Most of us treasure the home we own, but it’s a safe bet there’s at least one aspect we would change to bring it closer to dream home status—imagining how it could be improved by enlarging the kitchen, adding a great room, renovating the master bath complete with whirlpool tub or, perhaps, building a wrap-around porch.
Family business evolves to meet demands of market By Dan McCue Tony Moluf pointed to a 60-year-old advertisement framed in one of his two expansive plumbing and kitchen supply showrooms and with a chuckle opined that if one manages to stay in business long enough, eventually almost everything old will be new again.
‘Green’ home renovation becoming big industry By Dennis Quick During a recent home renovation workshop at The Sustainability Institute in North Charleston, homeowners received tips on how to retrofit their homes to reduce energy bills, create a healthier living space and conserve the natural environment.
Green council sets up in the Lowcountry By Lindsay Street South Carolina’s green industry is exploding, said Brad DeVos, an engineer with DWG Inc. DeVos is setting up a Lowcountry branch of the U.S. Green Building Council’s South Carolina Chapter. The council has more than 70 chapters across the nation with close to 9,000 member companies and organizations.
Are you enjoying your job? It will show By Barbara Poole I’m sitting on a plane that finally got off the ground in Dallas after a two-hour delay. There are grumpy passengers on all sides of me, all of whom seem to be willing to be angry at almost anyone, other than the real culprit: the weather.
Searching for answers in all the Web places By Elizabeth Boineau Remember what life was like before the big search engines like Google, Yahoo Search and Microsoft offered the enormous virtual pathway to knowledge that has forever changed the way information is gathered and disseminated? It’s hard to recall.
Tell your board, donors thank you, personally By June Bradham Q. My nonprofit is trying to develop our annual giving program. We know that recognizing our donors in the right way is very important, but how would you recommend we do that?
City establishes aid fund as fallen nine are identified By Dan McCue The firefighters who died in the Sofa Super Store blaze on Monday night ranged in age from 27 to 56, and had more than 100 years of emergency response experience among them when they entered the flames that claimed their lives.
Ethanol plant eyes tri-county, county officials skeptical By Lindsay Street A number of ethanol companies have been coming to Charleston proposing plants; more than a dozen have “kicked the tires” in Berkeley County in the last year, said Al Kennedy, project manager for Berkeley County Economic Development.
Ports Authority predicts significant rebound in ’08 By Dan McCue The S.C. State Ports Authority board approved a 2008 fiscal plan on Tuesday that projects double-digit increases in earnings and cash flow and a significant bump in the number of containers coming through the Port of Charleston.
More than 30,000 firefighters expected for memorial By Dan McCue More than 30,000 firefighters from across the country are expected to converge on the city of Charleston and the North Charleston Coliseum on Friday for a memorial service to honor the nine firefighters who lost their lives in the Sofa Super Store fire Monday night.
Public shares concerns, ideas for MeadWestvaco land By Kathleen Dayton They want their river to remain clean and their wildlife to remain abundant. They don’t want traffic congestion, light pollution, trailer parks or golf courses. Some of them said, “We don’t want to be another Mount Pleasant.”
Firefighters from across the nation pay their respects By Dan McCue As helicopters whirred overhead and a string of black hearses awaited them outside, the nine Charleston firefighters who lost their lives in the Sofa Super Store furniture store on Monday night were remembered not just for their heroism and devotion to community, but as neighbors, fathers, coaches and members of local church communities.
