In this week’s Charleston Regional Business Journal

Among the stories you’ll read in the Aug. 31 edition of the Charleston Regional Business Journal are a look at Santee Cooper’s plans to scrap a coal-burning electric plant and how penguins are helping the S.C. Aquarium see record attendance.

Staff Report
Published Aug. 31, 2009

Today’s edition of the Charleston Regional Business Journal features stories on attendance at the S.C. Aquarium, Santee Cooper’s plans to scrap a coal-fired electric plant and the Medical University of South Carolina’s leveraging of grant money.

The Business Journal’s biweekly print edition also includes a copy of the 2009 Market Facts, our annual report on the facts, figures, demographics and data that create the tapestry of the Charleston region.

For information about a subscription to the Charleston Regional Business Journal, click here.

Here’s a look at some of the features in this week’s Business Journal:

Attendance soars at S.C. Aquarium: Nine years after the S.C. Aquarium opened its doors, the attraction is setting monthly attendance records.
Santee Cooper scraps plans for Pee Dee coal plant: After years of work, Santee Cooper has decided to suspend its plans for a coal plant in Florence County. About half a million Upstate co-op customers will be transferred to Duke Energy starting in 2013.
MUSC leverages grant money: The Medical University of South Carolina intends to use a federal grant for clinical research to lead a multistate research effort, including 45 academic centers across the U.S.
Employment trends up and down for the past 12 months: A graphic report looks at the past 12 months’ worth of employment numbers for the state and the Charleston region. The average jobless rate was 10.1% during the past 12 months, but unemployment numbers fell by 0.3 percentage points in July.

Special Report: Automotive & Aerospace

Parts manufacturers, suppliers hit by nationwide decline: Generally in a down economy, the auto parts supplier business does OK. It can even pick up as people cling to older vehicles. That’s not true this time around.