High gasoline prices stir inflation fears By Shelia Watson The recent high prices at the gas pump, and the ripple effect into other industries and ultimately the consumer’s pocketbook, are likely temporary, according to Al Parish, director of the Center for Economic Forecasting at Charleston Southern University.
Gas hike hurts small businesses By Rachel Pleasant Under normal circumstances, a dog washer and a landscaper, a courier and a shrimper would have little in common.
Developer gives up Rifle Range project, alleges politics By Rachel Pleasant I’On developer Vincent Graham has put aside plans to develop 107 acres along Rifle Range Road in Mount Pleasant, saying he doesn’t want to deal with a biased town council.
M.P. commission increases low-income house pricing By Rachel Pleasant Builders know the drill. If they want to put up a house in Mount Pleasant, it could be months before they get one of the few permits allowed through the town’s allocation program.
Charleston enters agreement to provide wireless Internet access By Rachel Pleasant A contract between the city of Charleston and Mount Pleasant’s Widespread Access will not only create a peninsula-wide free Internet network, but will also open up cost-savings opportunities to area businesses.
Hurricane Katrina’s winds uncover social, political and economic failures By Bill Settlemyer “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job” may well be one of those presidential sound bites that stays around long after people have forgotten the specifics of who “Brownie” (FEMA Director Michael D. Brown) was.
New school turns over a green leaf toward energy conservation By Rachel Pleasant North Charleston Elementary School—the 93,000-square-foot project completed at the start of the school year—is more than a shiny new place for kids to learn and play.
Property owners: The market drives property taxes By Andy Brack Talk about irony: the very folks who have benefited from South Carolina’s surging real estate market seem to be the ones griping most about property taxes.
Rising fuel costs drive farm profits into the ground By Holly Fisher Jimmy Fender knows farming. Aside from the time he was at Clemson University earning an agricultural economics degree and his two years in the military, he has been growing crops in Reevesville.
New Mexico magazine takes sunnier view of Charleston In my Aug. 22 column, I wrote about CNN/Money magazine omitting the Lowcountry from its Top 100 places to live in the United States. In addition, I mentioned Forbes.com bypassing us as one of the nation’s 40 best cities for singles.
Gas guzzler market not hit yet by gas hike By Shelia Watson In the recent panic over rising gas prices, it looked like the large vehicle market—trucks, vans and SUVs—would take a hit, with customers trading the gas guzzlers for the smaller fuel-efficient cars.
Rising gas prices eat at restaurants’ profits By Dennis Quick Skyrocketing gasoline prices have been a mixed blessing for Fish restaurant on King Street, according to Randall Goldman, managing partner of Patrick Properties, which includes Fish.
Prices at the pump fail to put brakes on tourism By Dennis Quick The upsurge in gasoline prices has done little to keep tourists from driving to the Lowcountry, according to local tourism industry experts.
Leave the rigmarole of lost telephone appointments behind Ever call a telephone appointment on time but get voice mail instead? Ever call a customer at the appointed time and she has to be chased down because she is in a meeting?
Higher gas prices may push more aboard CARTA buses By Dennis Quick The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority’s buses are beginning to attract car-driving commuters shocked by high gasoline prices, according to Howard Chapman, CARTA’s executive director.
Sale of Folly Beach Holiday Inn is off By Shannon Cavanaugh The sale of the Holiday Inn on Folly Beach is off, and it is not for the buyer’s lack of desire. Despite numerous rescheduled closing dates and last minute details, the 132-room Holiday Inn on Folly Beach will remain the property of Horace and Robin Rooke of James Island, at least at press time.
American LaFrance sale could open way for another freightliner project By Matthew French Since Freightliner announced its decision early this month to divest itself of the Ladson-based American LaFrance fire and emergency vehicle manufacturing business unit, speculation has begun about what will happen to the 460,000-square-foot facility and the more than 270 people left behind.
Markets clue into baby boomers’ age, spending shifts By David L. Rawle Every seven seconds, an American turns 50. The Baby Boomers are approaching 50, 55 and 60 in massive numbers. And marketers are beginning to respond to the seismic shift in our nation’s demographics.
Housing trust gives $1 million in affordable housing grants By Dennis Quick Charleston Area Community Development Corp. plans to build three houses in the Silver Hill area with help from a $60,000 grant it recently received, plus funding from other sources. Then the CDC hopes to sell the houses for $94,000 each, according to Charleston Area CDC Executive Director Lenore McKenna.
Vought aircraft facility heading for timely completion By Dennis Quick Construction of Vought Aircraft Industry’s 380,000-square-foot North Charleston facility where fuselage sections for Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner passenger jet will be made is no more than “a day or two” off schedule, according to Vought’s Newt Newton, the facility’s general manager.
New conference center at Wild Dunes to draw new convention business By Kim Chen Wiseman In the coming months, oceanfront resort Wild Dunes on the Isle of Palms will tear down the Island House, its original 10,000-square-foot conference center. In its place, a state-of-the art facility, the Sweetgrass Pavillion, will be built.
Specialty contractors up in arms over licensing By Shelia Watson A recent letter of notice from the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation is causing a backlash of criticism from a collective of plumbers, electricians and concerned citizens in the tri-county area.
Charleston International sees 28% increase in travelers By Martin Sinderman Traffic is up during the past year and capital improvements are proceeding at the Charleston International Airport, while the airlines leasing space continue to work their way through increasingly difficult market conditions.
Port volume increases 14%, revenues up 18% By Martin Sinderman It has been a busy summer for the South Carolina State Ports Authority. The SPA closed out a record year in terms of container volume and revenues, received news of funding for an important component of its expansion at the former Charleston Naval Complex and continued its efforts to develop a new port on the Savannah River in Jasper County.
Insurance Department director nixes worker’s comp. rate hike By Matthew French The South Carolina Department of Insurance late last month rejected a proposal that would have led to a dramatic increase in worker’s compensation premiums paid by every employer in the state.
Manage your time wisely to manage your career By Barbara Poole Ask anyone in business these days what they identify as their major challenges and I would lay odds on one of the top three being too much to do with too little time.
Truckers gain full night’s sleep with HOS rules change By Shelia Watson A revision to the Hours of Service rules will require truckers who use sleeper berths to rest for a minimum of eight hours during off-duty time.
Manage your manager to advance your career By John Carroll An open letter to everyone who has a boss: These people have an important job to do, perhaps with great responsibility.
News Briefs Hanckel Marine has been named the new dealer for Scout Boats in the Charleston area. Scout Boats are built by skilled craftsmen in Summerville and have become leaders in the sport fishing-manufacturing segment. Scout builds sport fishing, fish’n’ski, walk around, flats and bay boat models ranging from 14’ to 28’.
People in the News ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION Mashburn Construction Company Inc. announced two new additions to their Charleston division. David B. Trapp has joined as a project manager. Trapp comes to Mashburn with 16 years of experience in architecture and construction. Brady Cauthen, a graduate of Clemson University, joins Mashburn as a field engineer. LS3P Associates Ltd. announced several new additions to its Charleston office. Alan Purvis is the director of the Community Studio, focusing on the design, development and…
Calendar • SEPT. 20: Building on Prosperity Growth forum. 8 a.m.–1:30 p.m. at Charleston Riverview Hotel. Topic: How the Charleston area will accommodate growth while protecting the region’s high quality of life and business environment. Cost: $45 for members; $65 for non-members. Information: Erin Pabst, 805-3040.
Appointments Women@Work Inc. elected its 2005-2006 board of directors.
Accolades & More Gulfstream Construction Corporation Inc. was selected as the General Contractor of the Year for 2005 by the American Subcontractors Association of the Carolinas, Charleston Chapter.
Photo Finish Senior managers at S.C. Federal Credit Union are trading in their business attire for sponges and hoses to show their appreciation for employees.
